Wherever We Go
by Divergency
Summary: "Tell me...What's the whole world worth when you've got no one to show it to?" I pulled my legs back inside the window, a tiny shred of my humanity presenting itself. I'd been shattered, abused, insulted, mistreated, and damaged beyond repair, yet I felt guilt?
1. Chapter 1

**A.N.: Hello! My name is Divergency and this is my first fanfiction. I've always been so nervous about posting my stories online, and I have finally built up the courage to do so. I hope you will stay with me for this journey...just expect _many_ bumps along the way! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Team Fortress 2.**

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I remember the first time I held a gun in my hand.

It was the end of my first day of seventh grade at Clearview Middle School. I stayed after to help my art teacher clean up the room, and told my brother to head home without me. I was walking home at around seven o'clock when three men ambushed me at the town park, which ironically was just two blocks away from my home...from safety…

One of the men, who appeared in his mid to late-thirties, drew a gun, and told me to climb into their van. Of course, I didn't want to, but what other choice did I have?

I remember shoving one of my captors out the back door of the moving vehicle the first chance I got. We were in front of my neighbor's driveway when the driver slammed on the brakes. I jumped out of the van, twisting my ankle in the process, but that didn't stop me. I had to get out of there. The man with the gun chased me to my house, angrily tossing his pistol to the side, wrapping his large hands around my frail neck, and squeezing as tightly as he could.

After witnessing everything from the front window, my sixteen-year-old brother alerted my parents and called 911. The man must have heard my brother because while I was on the brink of unconsciousness, he released me, and tossed me to the side like a rag doll. His pistol laid next to my leg in the grass. Sluggishly, I grasped the gun tightly, pointing it in the general direction of the fleeing man.

I fired…

I don't ever remember the feeling of fear as I pulled the trigger. The sensation of…pity and guilt flooded my senses. Now that I think about it…I also felt a sort of pleasure at the thought of getting revenge.

I felt bad for shooting at this man, but at the same time, it felt _good_.

The police never caught my kidnappers, but they did however find information that led them to the dead body of a little girl around my age in an abandoned shack just outside of my neighborhood. I wasn't privy to the information before, but when I turned fifteen my brother told me about what happened to her.

Days before her death, the girl was raped and chained to a pole. The autopsy showed that her cause of death was hypothermia; fingers and toes falling off due to frost bite.

That could have been me.

After the incident, I spent a lot of my time reading war stories, studying battle tactics, and learning how to fire a weapon.

One day, I came across the idea of "Sniping".

When my mother discovered what I was doing, she exclaimed that I was deranged and that she knew I was growing odder by the day. She kicked me out at the tender age of sixteen, telling me to go live with my grandmother. I never heard from her or my family again.

All of this had led me here today…waiting for my ride to my newest job as a sniper.

Team Fortress Industries in New Mexico was offering me a one year contract to work as a sniper. Not all the details had been sorted out yet, but I'm excited to see how things are going to turn out for me. They promised to keep my identity a secret, which is a plus, considering I'm wanted by several gangs for killing their power-hungry leaders. I would be working alongside eight other men for reasons that will be classified until I arrive. All I knew was that a company known as Mann Co. will be providing us with ammunition and medical aid, and that I get to practice my sniping skills. My employers also informed me about a respawn system, which I remember hearing about several years ago by some men I used to work with. It's quite fascinating, considering that if you die during a mission, you will return home unharmed and ready to attempt the mission again. I don't see why we would need a respawn system, though. Perhaps we are fighting other men? Maybe a war?

My thoughts were interrupted when a bus pulled up in front of the bench I was sitting on. From my view, it was empty, minus the driver who was currently ushering me forward with a gloved hand. Why would someone wear gloves in one hundred degrees weather? I guess I shouldn't judge him since I was wearing thick, boot-cut jeans instead of shorts, but my excuse has to deal with my sex. Flashing any type of skin would not be ideal in my line of work… Well, from what I've learned in the past.

"Are you the new sniper?" He asked me.

"Team Fortress Industries, right?" I responded back. A grin crossed his face as he shut the door of the bus. Since I was the only occupant, I sat in the very front seat, wanting to communicate and try to get some answers out of this man.

"From the North, are you?" He glanced back at me, humming the tune of a popular pop song that was playing on the radio. I began to nod my head, but when I realized he wasn't looking, I voiced my answer.

"Central Ohio. How could you tell?"

"Your accent gave it away. I'm from Indiana."

My face turned slightly red as I internally face palmed. I'm such an idiot at times…

"So, uh, what's your name?" I asked him. I was partly hoping he wouldn't answer so then I wouldn't have to tell him mine...I was feeling pressured, ok!

"For this job, our contracts say that we have to call each other by class-name. I, actually, am not a class. I just work as a repairman, and sometimes I transport mercenaries back and forth between bases, so just call me 'the Maintenance Guy'."

"Woah, woah, woah…mercenaries?" I asked. So I was right...I must be working in a war zone.

"Oh, have they not told you yet?" I shook my head. The man sighed and sucked in some air as if he were preparing for a speech. "For many years now, two brothers have fought over this piece of land, so they both hired mercenaries to battle each other and take the other brother's land. You will work for the RED team, and support your team with your expert-level marksmanship." He explained this as if he's done it many times before. All of this sounded ridiculous, but honestly, I don't give a shit. As long as I'm protected… especially after the accident I had five years ago, I don't care.

"I see…" I mumbled out, drifting off into space. Just how long has this been going on for, I wonder. A comfortable silence fell like a blanket as the minutes went by. "The Maintenance Guy's" presence seemed to have a calming effect on me. It's probably because I haven't been around a decent guy in such a long time.

The scenery changed from trees and grass to desert and sand, maximizing the already steaming temperature. After one hour of driving, the radio lost signal, leaving the Maintenance Guy and myself in silence...well, other than the light hum of the bus engine in the background. I decided to break the tranquility of the situation:

"Can I call you 'MG' instead of 'Maintenance Guy'? It just sounds like a mouth full when you say it." I said. An airy chuckle floated throughout the bus in response. I'm guessing that's yes?

"You see that building up ahead?" He pointed to a tall, gray building. It looked like it's seen better days…"That will be your new home! Just a little heads up… The Scout is loud and noisy, always add 'sir' to the end of your statements when talking to Soldier, Pyro is...interesting, Demoman is a drunken, black, Scotsman missing an eye, everything is 'leetle' to Heavy, Engineer is pretty cool, Medic is mad crazy, and Spy...well, Spy is Spy."

I rose my eyebrows in questioning, trying to absorb as much information as I could. Ah, screw it! I'll find out when I get inside.

"Here we are! Just walk through the front doors and take a left. Your team will be waiting for you in the mess hall. It is seven o'clock, so they've probably already started 'Saturday Night Poker'. They all know you are coming, so good luck." His words seemed to fumble out of his mouth at lightening speed. All I could manage was a simple "Thanks" before I was pushed out of the bus and into the now, cool desert air.

"Ooook then…" I said to myself. Taking off my sun hat, I ran a hand through my long blond locks, trying to untangle the knots that formed over time. I walked up the wooden steps, and entered through the tall set of doors, which seemed to make _the_ loudest noises I had ever heard. Taking a left, I came upon a massive room that was set up obviously for entertainment. A colored television was playing a baseball game, a pool table sat neglected in the opposite corner of the room, and a massive table containing eight different people was covered in empty bottles of beer, crumbs, and playing cards.

Almost simultaneously, the eight pairs of eyes turned to me, looking me up and down. Maybe I was just too picky, but I felt that several of those pairs lingered for a little _too_ long in certain areas.

"It has been LONG time since last woman was here. Dis Sniper is leetler than others." A massive Russian spoke out through the silence, ending the awkward stares of all the men, "I am Heavy Weapons Guy, but you may call me Heavy." His guttural voice boomed as he spoke. I wanted to make a good first impression, so I responded by saying:

"It's nice to meet you all. I am the Sniper."

"Come an sit with us, lass! Have a drink o' me scrumpy an you'll forget all aboot bein' here." A Scottish man patted the chair next to him enthusiastically. If I remember correctly, MG said this guy's class-name was Demoman.

"I think I'll pass on the drink, but thank you anyway." I said before taking a seat next to him. All seems to be going well so far…

"I like dis chick! I am da Scout, and I can guarantee I am fasta, stronga, and coola than all dese old men, so I recommend you hang around me! How does dat sound, toots?" The boy talking ran around the table, tripping over several chairs before claiming the one next to mine. Groans echoed in the room as he scooted his chair as close as possible to mine, practically attaching our hips together. I inched away slightly, trying to not hurt his feelings.

"Give her room, dummkopf! I apologize, ve haven't had a voman in ze team for a long time. I vill be your team Medic. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, fraulein." A German man seemingly in his early forties said. I was thankful for his fatherly scold because the Scout pouted and pulled away from me, retreating back to his seat next to the Heavy.

The men all introduced themselves, giving me their job descriptions and what they do on the battlefield. The Medic explained that he carried a machine known as a Medigun around which can heal someone in an instant (depending on the injury). The Pyro, who so far was my favorite, explained his love of fire to me by pulling out his flame thrower. He even let me try it out (outside of course).

The Spy I found quite disturbing, though. His presence seemed to hold a certainly high level of confidence. He greeted me in French, and offered me a cigarette. I don't like to smoke so I declined politely. As the night went on, I noticed that the Spy smoked like a train, always carrying a case of 'cancer sticks' (as I like to call them) on him. When he caught me staring at him, he would smirk in a suggestive way, giving me the chills.

Other than that, all was going well… I think I could get used to this.

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**A.N.: This is just an opening chapter, so please comment on how you think I've done! Criticism is welcomed, just as long as it helps me and not offends me. Thank you for reading and I'll (hopefully) see you next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N.: Hey guys! I am so excited at this moment! I woke up the morning after I posted the first chapter to find that someone commented on it. This is the first story I have ever posted online, and I am glad to know that some people already enjoy it!**

**GodzillaKom: When I saw your comment, I thought I was going to die...no literally. I was dancing around in my underwear at 6:00 in the morning, knocking stuff over and punching pillows with happiness (I'm weird). My mom came out to see what I was doing this early in the morning, and she was practically breathing fire at me. I really appreciate your comment, for you have brightened my day...no...week! I now feel more motivated to continue writing. :)**

**OK! Now that I've finished my speech...I present to you all the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing… NOTHING.**

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I'm lucky to still be alive.

After two laps on the training field, I get a cramp in my side that nearly drove me to a halt. My calves were tingling, and my ankles seem to freeze up as the hot air turned thick around me. My heart rate had probably tripled by now, and my arm won't stop twitching every time I swung it backwards. This just proved how out of shape I was…

My old job was all about patience and accuracy. I would sit at my post for hours, waiting for the perfect moment to end the sad life of an unworthy man. After firing my fatal shot, I would sprint to the awaiting van of my coworkers, hopping in before I could be spotted.

Endurance was never my thing… Sure, I was a pretty fast runner, and I could pack a good punch, but I couldn't run a_ single_ mile for the life of me.

At the sixth lap, I stumbled. The Soldier's obnoxiously loud voice rang through my ears, screaming at me to keep going. I wondered if that was his way of giving out encouragement.

The men around me turned their backs slightly, but they continue with no sympathy. Even the Heavy was one lap ahead of me!

"Just breathe, Sniper." A hand was placed against my shoulder, massaging it lightly. The Engineer was kind enough to slow down and run with me for the next couple laps. He seemed out of breath, but he continued to push on without any objections. I noticed that his overalls fit him snugly as he ran at a decent pace. I honestly thought they would have hindered his motions more than they were now.

The clothes I was provided with were very uncomfortable. I was used to wearing loose-fitted t-shirts and jeans, but I was given a set of more feminine clothes instead. Tan jeans that hugged my hips and thighs were apart of my uniform, as well as a crimson tank top and black vest that adorned the upper-half of my body.

When I see that everyone else had finished with their laps, something happened to me. The light-headedness I felt changed to a more comfortable, but still painful, pounding.

I can do this...

Turning the corner to finish my last lap, I noticed the Scout leaning against a pole next to the starting line. Cheekily, he grinned in my direction, urging me to move faster.

I swear...one day I'm going to get that kid. This morning at breakfast, he refused to quiet down over my new uniform, yelling out "you look smokin' in that outfit, toots!", and now he was taunting me because of my lack of stamina. He reminded me of my brother, constantly teasing me over stupid things, but that was in the past...I needed to focus on what was happening now.

For example, getting across the finish line.

"NOW! Since everyone has _finally_ finished with our WARM-UP!" The Soldier shouted, emphasizing the word_ warm-up_, "We can start on our conditioning!" but before the Soldier could dismiss us, everyone walked away from him, grumbling out cuss words and Engineer telling him to "hold your horses, partner."

I stood still in my spot, watching as the American made a beeline straight for me. Oh great…

"Any complaints, lady?" He spat in my face.

"No…"

"NO, WHAT?"

"No, sir."

"Perfect, I believe we understand each other than. Now, MOVE MOVE MOVE!"

For the rest of the Sunday morning, we conditioned our bodies; Soldier making sure that every push up, crunch, pull up, and lunge was done with perfection. Lunch time eventually came; Pyro throwing together several PB&J sandwiches for us all.

When Lunch was over with, I was relieved to be informed that for the rest of training, we would be practicing shooting. Finally, something I'd excel at…

I was given my own station, which was specifically made for Snipers. Poorly painted targets were set up on different walls. They ranged in size from being twelve inches in diameter to two inches. Crouching into a kneeling position, I aimed the barrel of my Springfield M1903A4 towards a target five hundred meters away, deciding to take things a little easy at first. As the minutes go by, I was taking out every target with ease until there were no more left. Out of thirty targets, I was flawless.

I smirked in the Scout's direction, watching as his jaw dropped in surprise. He crossed over from his training station, running to come and congratulate me:

"Yo, that was awesome! Our last Sniper wasn't even _that_ good!" I thanked him for his compliment. High-fiving his bandaged hand in success.

"If you think that's good, wait until you see me take down some moving targets… Do we have anything like that here?" I asked, adjusting my sun hat to shield my eyes from the hot sun afterwards. The Scout nodded his head, and then called Engineer over. After listening to our explanation, Engie gave out a warm laugh before running behind an old workshop to grab something. Scout had to return to his station, though, before the drill sergeant could yell at him. With a wink and a wave goodbye, Scout left.

"What a dope…"I whispered to myself, smiling when the Engineer made his return.

"Just press this button right here when you're ready." He pushed the red button on the hand-held device, holding it down for several seconds before releasing it. Holographic birds, like the ones you would see on a sci-fi movie, flew up from behind the targets, gliding lazily along as if they were waiting for something.

"Wow, that's amazing! Did you make this?" I asked in awe. Pulling the scope up to my eye, I fired and watched as one of the birds fell, disappearing in thin air before it could reach the ground.

"Yes, ma'am. I created this baby several years ago on request by our last Sniper. He was quite the sharpshooter, but not like you." He answered. After he instructed me on what to do when I would finish using his contraption, he returned to his station, which consisted of him fiddling around and adjusting several of his sentry guns.

As time passed by, I noticed a group of people approaching the training grounds. They were all dressed similarly to us, minus the accents of different shade of blues on their clothes. I stood from my sniping place, turning off the holographic machine. I stared in awe at the other nine mercenaries who approached us.

I could tell these were the BLUs, I wasn't dumb...well, sometimes I wasn't not dumb.

One BLU caught my eye, though. Out of them all, he seemed to be the second tallest out of the group, right behind the Heavy. His tall stature was dressed in clothes that were extremely similar to mine, except he wore a trophy belt hat and a pair of aviators. He carried a standard issue sniper rifle, telling me that this was my opposing competition. This man walked alone, probably used to the idea of isolation, quite like I was. All assassins have that in common…

His gaze, which was originally focused on the ground, moved upwards in my direction. I couldn't tell if he was looking at me, or if he was staring at my team, but before I could introduce myself though, the large arms of the Heavy lifted me off the ground, and placed me upon his shoulders.

"Come...we are heading back to base."

"Wait! Why were they here?"

"BLUs train in the evening, we train in the morning. BLUs are evil, mean, and giant babies! So no talking to them."

I could see where Heavy was coming from. Every week (for God knows how long) they have killed and taunting each other. Surely, rivalry has already planted its roots somewhere along the line.

Halfway back to our base, the Heavy set me down, commenting on how tiny he thought I was. Dismissing his comment, I asked:

"Don't you think this entire thing is stupid? I mean, old men fighting each other over land that is not very prosperous? C'mon!"

"Stupid, yes, but Heavy needs dis job to support family back in Soviet Union. Old baby men can fight all they want as long as Heavy receives money."

The Heavy and I walked together, talking about his family back in the USSR. He had a wife who died in a plantation accident, so he left the country to find work in America. He left his eight-year-old son with his three sisters and mother, knowing that the only way how things were going to work out was by continuing with what he's doing now.

"Heavy is afraid he won't accept apology…" Heavy's normally calm expression faltered, revealing an emotionally broken father.

"You're worried about your son..?" I paused for a moment. "Would you like my opinion?"

A brief period of silence passed before he nodded his head.

"Saying 'sorry' may not make a difference...has it ever? It's just a word. One word against a thousand actions. Show him how much you love him, besides, he's young. It's better if you show your love for him at a younger age than later on."

I didn't realize how true my words were…a simple action…

Flashes of an old woman crossed my mind, making me shiver._ How could I-?_

"Leetle Sniper is right. I must visit family over break. Thank you for your words!" The Heavy bellowed out cheerfully, jarring me out of my thoughts. I was glad I could help him. When our long walk back to the base was finally over, we parted ways.

Entering the base, I was bombarded with a smell that I could only describe as roadkill. Eight sweaty men in a single room did not sound appealing..._at all_.

Stretching, I told several of my teammates I was going to take a shower before dinner, so none of them were allowed into the bathroom until I was done. Of course I earned several protests from them, but that didn't stop me from locking the door before Scout could jump in with me.

"AYE! Dat was my nose you just smashed against the door!" He whined.

"Get over it, baby!" I laughed.

"Great, now we have two Heavies living with us now." His voice echoed out from down the hall. Finally, some peace and quiet…

Grabbing a red (really?) towel and bottles of shampoo and conditioner from the closet, I walked down the long row of stalls, humming a light tune. When I reached the last stall, I froze in place.

"OH MY GOD!" There was a floating bar of soap in the stall! "Holy shit!" I screamed out as I threw my armful of toiletries at the flying soap. What's even more messed up is that my things collided with some kind of...force field! Not even touching the soap!

I'd seen some creepy-ass shit before, but nothing like this!

"What the hell?" a masculine voice said. Just as I was about to scream and piss my pants, a gloved hand reached out and smacked my mouth closed.

"MMMMMMMPPPPH-!"

"Calm down, mon cher, itz me."

The air around me fizzled to reveal-

"What are you doing?"

-a Spy.

The Spy was fully clothed, thankfully. It appeared he was preparing to take a shower.

"Bathing myself...What else?" He said in confusion. I stepped back from him, pressing my back against the tiled wall, and crossed my arms. Was he not there when I told everyone to wait for me to shower first?

"I figured that. Just, how did you do that?

"Do what, petite fille?"

"Become invisible?"

For several seconds he just stared at me, blinking. He then busted into laughter, snorting like a pig. I placed my hands on my hips, giving the Spy the meanest look I could muster. He was really pissing me off…

"Oh, mon cher! You make me laugh. I don't like showering in front of ze other men, zo I use my dead ringer to cloak myself." He chuckled, flashing me his pocket watch. Raising an eyebrow, I asked him to prove it to me. Clicking the timer on the side, he flips it open. Surely enough, his body disappeared into thin air.

"That's pretty cool, but weren't you in the room when I said I would like for everyone to wait for me to finish my shower before they come in here?" The Spy put his pocket watch away before stepping closer to me. Leaning towards me, he whispers:

"Oui, I waz zere."

He left the room, not saying another word. I, however, had plenty to say to the pervert. How dare he! Fucking spook thought he could watch me like a pedophile! I was twenty-three, but for all I know he could be twice my age!

Grumbling to myself, I exited the bathroom, forgetting all about my shower.

"I'll just do it _after_ everyone else is done."

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**A.N.: I'm taking things a little slow now. I have to develop the characters a little more before I can jump into the heat of things. But hey… did you know, there is a little review box below? You did? Well, what are you still doing here! Leave me a little something. It's there to help improve my story, so please criticism is welcomed!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N.: Hhheeelllooo again! I swear, these reviews are going to make me cry (haha 3 may not sound like a lot, but to me it is on the same level as winning a game about sports)! I'm a very emotional person, and I (personally) like stories that tug at my heart-strings. So… in a sense, I am going to try to make you cry by the end of this story… ok now I just sound like a horrible person…**

**Guest: Ah… another review! My lovely Guest, you have given me the strength to continue this story. I just posted chapter 2 thirty minutes ago, and I'm already starting on the third chapter! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to leave a review!**

**Typ: I've read many OC stories where I didn't like how they portrayed the characters (like they were jumping into the climax almost immediately and not giving the reader's time to fall in love with the characters). I truly appreciate your review and I hope to keep your expectations high! Thank you so much!**

**Guest (#2): Thank you! I'm glad that you enjoy it so far! I plan on pumping out as many chapters as quickly as possible. My goal is to please all of my readers! If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to tell me. :)**

**2lazy2login: :3**

**Happy Birthday to a writer I follow: VivianShadowGirl (6/6)! Check out some of her stories here on Fanfiction.**

**Disclaimer: I sadly…*sigh*... own nothing.**

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I gasped in surprise as my eyes flew open… another nightmare. Ever since the incident… I haven't had a good night's rest in such a long time. I was hoping my chronic dreams of guilt will end, but I don't think there is ever getting over it. That old woman...what if she had a family? Her grandchildren were probably still wondering about what happened to her.

Hell… I'm not to sure what happened myself.

Standing from my twin-sized mattress, I allowed my bed sheets to fall in a crumpled heap at my feet, not caring (for once) if they were dirtied or not. Walking to my mirror, I gazed curiously at myself, poking at my newly developed arm muscles.

_One week of Soldier's training has done me well…_ I think. The thin layer of fat on my belly had diminished some, which made me quite happy. But in return, I was given sore muscles, cramps, and multiple cuts as decorations for my tired form. My light brown eyes were duller in color, making me look as if I've aged a couple of years. My red skin had finally healed to become a tanner shade; no longer painful to the touch. My blond hair had taken on a lighter color at the tips, possibly from all the time I've spent out in the sun.

Pulling on my uniform, I groggily made my way to the kitchen. My stomach sounded like a car engine as it roared for nutrition. Demo was passed out on the table as usual, snoring away with an empty bottle of scrumpy in his hand. Last night was wild…

Every year, when the mercenaries would renew their contracts, they would spend one full week training for the upcoming FIC. Don't ask me what it stands for… Anyway, since yesterday was our last day of training, we all decided to have a "little" celebration. A round of strip poker was played which Pyro won every single round, disappointing us all because we would never find out who lies behind the mysterious mask he wore constantly. Then I watched the men play some stupid drinking game where every time they heard Soldier make a racist/sexist comment they had to drink. Demoman obviously won that game, but even after the game was over he continued to gulp down his scrumpy like it was water.

Walking past the dining room and into the kitchen, I was preparing to grab myself a bowl of cereal until Pyro shoved a plate of pancakes in my hands.

"Mmmmrph mmmmrm!" He mumbled enthusiastically. Smiling gratefully, I patted his shoulder. A pat to the shoulder was like my way of saying thanks to Pyro, and he knew that. Clapping his gloved hands together excitedly like a kid, he grabbed his own plate and a bottle of syrup before following me out to the dining room.

"How are you feeling this morning?" I asked him.

"Mmmrph." He replied. I nodded my head, assuming that he said "good". I ate my pancakes while Pyro sat there watching me. It was as if he were waiting for my reaction.

"Aren't you going to eat your pancakes?" I questioned him. I'd never seen Pyro eat..._ever_, so maybe now would be a good time to take a peek at what was underneath his mask. Pyro shook his head, and pointed at the pancakes. He then made an eating motion before pointing in my direction.

"Oh those are for me? I don't know if I can eat all of these." I said. I felt like I was talking to a little kid, but I didn't mind. Pyro was very kind to me, making sure I was well fed, and he always checked up on me. "These are delicious! I promise I'll repay you tomorrow morning, ok?"

"Huddah Huddah!" He seemingly cheered out. Several men were waking up from their slumbers, all of them groaning for the Medic. Putting two and two together, I figured they wanted him to cure them of their hangovers…

"Hey, are those pancakes?" Scout whispered as he walked to the dining table. This was probably the first time I hadn't seen Scout running, let alone not firing out words at a rapid pace.

"Yeah, I'm pretty full… Is it ok if Scout eats them, Pyro?" Nodding his head, Pyro doused the pancakes with syrup. Standing up, the fire-lover mumbles out more incoherent nonsense before returning to the kitchen.

With Pyro gone, Scout took his seat next to me, shoving forkfuls of pancakes in his mouth. After finishing his plate, his head drooped and collided with the table.

"Maybe you shouldn't have been-"

"SHHH. Not so loud…"

_"-shouldn't have drank so much."_

The Scout turned his head slightly, just enough to send a glare my way. He made an obnoxious face and mimicked what I said in a high-pitched voice before diving his head into his folded arms.

"GOOD MORNING, LADIES! I believe a pep-talk is in order before we begin our mission in one hour! Are we going to let those worm-infested, bottomless pit BLUs dominate us like last year?!" Soldier paused waiting for an answer before deciding that no one was going to say anything. "NOOO!"

The mercenaries hissed at his loud voice, flinching as Soldier continued his speech. Medic had finally made it into the room, dressed in a lab coat and carrying a strange machine on his back. One by one, Medic healed each teammate, sighing in annoyance as they apologized for getting drunk last night.

"Zat is vhat ze alvays say…" He'd murmured to himself. I wondered how often he had to deal with this…

"Any complaints, lady?" I didn't realize the Soldier was standing in front of me until he said those words. "Any complaints, lady?" was how he always ended his rants, stomping over to let out his frustrations on me it seemed.

"No sir." I replied, obviously lacking in the excitement department. Not sure why he always seemed to pick on me. Probably because I was a woman…

"Good! Let's win this!" And with that statement, he grabbed a rotting banana from a fruit stand on the table, and left the room. Most likely to go and stock up before the battle.

Now that I thought about it, this would be my first mission for RED. The feeling of dread pooled in my stomach at that thought, making me nervous. What if I mess up? What if the respawn system doesn't work for me? I guess these questions would be answered when I go out to battle. I wonder if I'll see the BLU Sniper again? Maybe...

He was quite intriguing…

Several days before, I asked our Medic about him, curious about who he was. Medic said that from what he knew, the BLU Sniper liked to keep to himself. He's overheard the BLUs talking about him at several meetings with the Administrator. According to the BLU Scout (which probably wasn't correct), the Sniper's mother was murdered several years ago and his father currently resides in a mental hospital in Australia. He's never been the same since…

"Mission begins in five minutes." The Administrator's smooth voice spoke through the speakers. Almost immediately, the dining room occupants' spirits were lifted with those words. It was like watching fireworks: the small stream of light streaks across the sky, anticipation building in your gut as you watch it rise higher and higher into the air. Eventually… _Boom!_ It explodes in a fiery celebration, spreading across the sky in an intricate pattern.

I followed my teammates to the battlements room, watching as they all reported to their lockers to gear up. My locker was located next to the Spy's at the end of the line. Not that it really mattered, but I wished I was next to someone else on the team, and not the peeping spook.

I eyed the Spy carefully, watching as he adjusted his tie and gloves. I didn't see him at breakfast this morning...perhaps he was being healed by the Medic in his lab?

"I'd be careful if I were you, mon cher." He took a long and exaggerated drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke in my face. Coughing, I glared up at him.

"Of what?" I asked, strapping on my kukri and SMG, careful to not cut myself while doing so.

"Ze real question is: of whom?" He said in a bored tone. The balaclava he was wearing made me feel slightly intimidated…I felt as if I were walking into a war without any weapons when I talked to this man. It was like talking to a stranger, but I supposed Spies could not be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity. It was his job to remain a mystery.

"I'll be fine… You just worry about yourself, spook." I said. It would probably be best to ignore this man as much as possible. Grabbing my rifle, I stood next to the Engineer, viewing the blueprints he was studying.

"Howdy there, how can I help you?" He asked me in his happy-go-lucky tone. "Feelin' nervous?"

"A little...does it hurt to respawn?"

"Welp, for me, my first respawn was horrible! I was shot down by the enemy Heavy, my body just fallin' to pieces! Man you should have- oh sorry didn't mean to gross ya out- anyway, you ain't got nothin' to worry about. At first, the feeling was slightly discomforting, but afterwards you get used to it." He explained. Well, at least he was being truthful? I figured dying would be painful, but you never know…

"Mission begins in ten, nine, eight…"

"Just try your best, darlin', you'll be fine."

His words were not as comforting as I hoped them to be.

"Seven, six, five…"

Soldier was making his rounds, asking us if we were ready.

"Four, three, two…"

"Any complaints lady?"

"One, zero…"

"No sir!" For once, I actually said it with enthusiasm.

* * *

**A.N.: Sorry this chapter is so short! I felt that this would be a good place to end it before continuing on with an action scene. More romance is to come, plus more clues to the questions that are being posed! See ya! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N.: Action Time! Action is not my cup of tea, but Team Fortress 2 is all about action so I might as well put it in. Thank you to all my reviewers! I will try to respond, but sometimes I just can't get to everyone. Please review after this chapter! Constructive criticism is welcomed! I'm a big girl… I can handle it :)**

**GodZillaKom: I'm glad that you are enjoying my story! Oh and the fem!Scout suggestion you gave me is something I already planned on doing. Except not the Scout… It will be a different teammate (you'll find out by the end of the chapter). Great minds think alike!**

**MedicSquid: I love your name! I tried to imagine what a Medic-squid would look like and it made me laugh really hard. Thank you for taking the time to review my story, I really appreciate it! :D… Holy Moley, I just realized who you are! I love your story "Slipping in your Grasp"! I feel great knowing that a fellow writer of mine (Who I enjoy) is reading my story!**

**Disclaimer: There are men dressed in black suits forcing me to do this… I do not own Team Fortress 2… sadly.**

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A horn blared through the speakers, practically destroying my ear drums. Everyone sprinted forward, Scout leading the pack with me dragging in the rear. Our mission was to collect the intelligence from the other team's base, and safely return to our own within one hour. If not… Well, I didn't know what would happen if we don't.

_Hopefully_, all of my questions would be answered today.

I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, but as soon as I looked up from my thoughts, I was right in the middle of the battle!

"Holy shit!" I screamed, pulling out my sub-machine gun and firing rapidly in any direction. I successfully injured the BLU Medic in the shoulder, but that just seemed to draw attention to me. I ran backwards, stumbling over rocks and the terrain below my feet. I watched as our Scout was killed by a headshot, dropping to the ground in a crumpled heap. I didn't stop running however; I couldn't stop.

Even when I was back in our base, I didn't stop running until I reached the respawn room. In there, I was greeted by an unbroken, alive, and very angry Scout.

"Mother Fucker! I'm gonna bash tat BLU's brains in when I see- Dayum, what happened to you, toots? He jogged over to my side, roughly grabbing my arm. I hissed in pain, curious about what he was talking about. Looking down at my arms, I came across-

"Oh."

-a bullet lodged in my forearm.

Tears rushed to the corners of my eyes, threatening to fall over in a stream, but I couldn't. I couldn't let them fall, that would just show how weak I was. I was scared as hell now, but what would everyone think when they see me crying over my forearm. I was sure these men have been through worse! I need to quit being such a _girl_!

"Where is Medic?" I asked in the strongest voice I could muster. Scout's face formed a confused look, his bright, blue eyes shining with curiosity as a he gazed into my own.

"Oh, in the respawn room, we don't need the Medic." He said, making long strides across the room and stopping before a cabinet, "C'mere!"

I grabbed my forearm, hand slipping several times from the blood that was drenched on my skin. Walking over, he grabbed my shoulders, and directed me to stand in front of the tall locker. Pushing me forward lightly, I watched as the doors flung open, revealing loads of ammunition and bandages. A warm, tingle-like sensation flooded through my forearm, and when I looked down, it was healed!

"Pretty cool, huh? Now, let's head back out there! Make sure that you stay in ta _back_ of da pack next time, right? You are a Sniper after all." He said, already sprinting out the door, gun in hand, a few seconds later.

_Why am I so stupid?_ I thought. I'm a professional Sniper, what the hell do I think I'm doing?!

I jogged out of the respawn room, searching the arena for a good hiding place. Just fifty meters away was an old, abandoned warehouse. It was the perfect place for sniping...not only was it close to the BLU base, but it was tall enough for me to stake out in it without getting caught.

I made my way towards the building, dodging several dead bodies on the ground, and the bullets flying in the air. I saw our Heavy crying out like a maniac as he fired his minigun nonstop. Our Engineer was focused on setting up a dispenser just around the corner, beating it with his wrench like crazy. Everyone seemed so… natural at what they did. Will I be like that one day?

I finally reached the building, flinging the wooden door open. Several wooden platforms were eroding, their surfaces a dark green color. I carefully climbed up the steps, making sure not to step on the wrong board. After reaching my destination, I pulled up a wooden crate, unstrapped my Springfield, and set off to work.

I waited and waited, searching the BLU base for any sign of movement.

...

_There!_

Aiming my scope at the head of the BLU Soldier, I take a deep breath, edging forward on my seat. Squeezing the trigger, I watched as his head burst into a fountain of red. Oh my God…

I hope he respawns…

My fear was never addressed though, for minutes later the Soldier was out and about, taunting our Pyro. Aiming again, I fired as an exhilarating feeling rushed through me. Laughing giddily, I waved to the Pyro and he gave me thumbs-up before continuing on with his fiery destruction, no Soldier to stop him.

Many minutes passed as I took out each BLU that I saw. If I missed them the first time, I promised myself I wouldn't miss again.

I usually like to keep my promises…

I even killed the BLU Sniper once, finding him staked out behind one of our own buildings. He didn't see it coming.

He did get revenge though, for as soon as I pointed my scope at him, he was firing in my direction. I woke up in the respawn room, out of breath and chilled to the bone. The feeling of bones and ligaments attaching themselves back together made me want to vomit.

I returned to my same sniping position, continuing my reign of terror, laughing each time I killed a BLU…I was ready to fire a fatal shot at the opposing Scout when a voice made me freeze.

"Ah, look at what we have here. A new Sniper?" A feminine voice chimed through the silent warehouse. Grabbing my kukri, I turned sharply, scanning the room for the cloaked Spy. After swinging my knife around for several seconds, I inched my way to the corner of the room, knowing that she wouldn't be able to get me from behind.

That plan backfired however, because a pair of awaiting arms were wrapped around my throat in a chokehold, squeezing the life out of me. I struggled for air, elbowing the woman behind me in the stomach. She grunted in pain, releasing me before pulling out her knife.

Circling each other, I viewed the French woman trying to kill me. She was young, maybe a couple of years older than I. Her long, black hair fell in waves down the back of her dress, and her blue eyes seemed to hold a fire within them. This woman was very pretty, but she looked frail in my eyes. Her blue high heels clicked noisily against the wooden floor, making her professional-looking attire even _more_ professional-looking. She was not dressed for the battle field...she probably used her good looks as a form of seduction.

"Alert! The enemy has taken our intelligence!" The Administrator said in a distressed tone.

"Bonjour, I believe it is in order zat I introduce myself." The female Spy edged closer to me, twirling her knife around her white gloves expertly, "I am ze Spy."

"Nice to meet you!" I spat out sarcastically. I had to hurry up and get this over with before the other team caps our intelligence.

"I know who you are, you know. And honestly, you don't impress me, Miss Williams…" She said in a devilish tone. My eyes widened. How could she know! I signed a contract! "I know what you've done… Poor woman, I wonder how her son felt when he realized his mozzer was killed by a sniper!" She cackled loudly.

"You BITCH!" I scream, lunging forward for her. How could she know?! How could she have _possibly_ known that! I'd known this woman for one minute, and already she's threatening to tell my deepest and darkest secret?

I swung my arm forward, watching as the Spy smirked and didn't try to dodge at all. As my arm passed my line of vision, I noticed my knife was gone.

"The hell?" Turning around, I saw that my rifle and SMG were gone as well! Did we lose?

As if she were reading my mind, the Spy's smirk turned into a wide grin, "Oui, mon cher, your team 'as failed." Stalking forward, the woman swung her knife at me, blood lust clear in her azure orbs. I dodged, running around the room doing everything in my power to avoid this woman. Just as I was making a break for the stairs, I fell through the wooden planks, crying out in pain as I landed against some wood. My back was going to be sore in the morning...

"Run, little girl, I'm coming for you!" The Spy gracefully climbed down the steps, her hips swinging in confidence. I stood from my curled position on the ground, running out the warehouse and into the hot desert air. All of my teammates were retreating back to the base, several of them being shot down before they could reach the safety of the respawn room.

Turning the corner, I bumped into someone, falling on my butt in the process. Looking up, I saw the surprised expression of the last person who I ever thought I would come in contact with.

The BLU Sniper's shocked face turned into a blank expression. Crawling backwards, I found myself surrounded by walls...I was cornered.

"Please, just get this over with." I muttered, throwing my head into my hands as I curled into a sitting position. I waited for the feeling of a bullet to enter my skull. I waited for the feeling of a knife diving into the skin of my neck.

But neither of these came.

"I ain't gonna kill ya, sheila… Get out of 'ere before the bloody spook comes over."

My eyes widened in surprise when I saw his hand stretch down to help me up. Hesitantly, I took it, searching his dark blue orbs for any sign of deceit. Standing up, I noticed how tall this man was; my head barely reaching his collar-bone. Tilting my head back, I thanked him gratefully, but he just waved me off, ushering me back to my base. As I prepared to jog out into the open, the Sniper stopped me.

"Oi. Nice shootin' out there."

"...thanks."

I run without looking back.

Entering our battlements room, the Soldier was scolding everyone in the room for what a poor job we'd done. He was talking to himself, trying to pump himself up to try harder next time.

I take a seat next to Demo and Scout, asking them how their day went.

"Dis close… DIS close to capturing their intelligence." Scout moaned out, holding his thumb and index finger together to emphasize his point.

"Bloodeh Spy! Messin' with me and me brain…" The Demoman took a long swig out of his bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve.

"Did the BLU Spy say anything about… me?" I asked cautiously. What if she told them who I was? Would they still trust me, knowing that I'd murdered someone?

"Nah, didn't say nothin' aboot ya lass...why?"

"Nothing, really. Just don't like her…" I scratch the back of my neck, trying to play it off, "What did she do to you?"

I sat there and partly listened to the Scotsman, nodding my head at the appropriate times while I became wrapped up in my own thoughts. Did the BLU Spy know me before this job? Did our employers tell her about me? And why did the BLU Sniper help me?

I feel like I'd been left with more questions than answers.

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**A.N.: Yay! Another chapter done! Please leave a review for me! Either you'll be whispering "little, sweet nothings" to me, or pounding me for such a poor job… Whichever one you do, I don't care. I want this story to live up to all of your expectations. Later :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N.: I can't...stop…TYPING! Your reviews are motivating me to continue, and I want to thank you all so much! I've always wanted to do this: the number of words is...OVER 9000!**

**SilentRanger777: I'm always looking for stories that will hold my attention when reading them, and there are not many tf2 fanfics that do that for me. I decided to give writing a try because I can't find any good fanfics! I've found several that I truly enjoy, but most are just elementary. Thank you for reviewing! You make me feel warm and fuzzy inside :3**

**GodzillaKom: Your wish of romance is my command! But you must be patient, mon cher! I promise it will be coming soon!**

**mick-kun: check your PM**

**MedicSquid: :3 I love you.**

**Brown: I've always imagined Spy as a creeper...haha I like him, it's just someone has to be the bad guy on the RED team. Thank you for the SMG tip, I will fix that in my earlier chapters. Onwards and Brownwards!**

**Timmynator: I agree, not many Fem! stories are very interesting...That's why I'm here! I don't know if my story is interesting, but I'll try my best to make it so. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: WHY! Why can't I own TF2! Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm sixteen-years-old.**

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I had to see him.

I had to know why...why he was doing this.

For the past week, it had been non-stop fighting. BLU was in the lead with four wins over our three, and I could tell Soldier was getting antsy. Training was going to be_ hell_ today…

Every loss we suffered through, I would always run into the Sniper, glad to know he was there for me. He'd pull me into a nearby building, telling me to wait there for a couple of minutes until everything had settled down. Afterwards, I'd look out to see if he was still there, but I'd always end up disappointed. I needed to see him outside of the battlefield.

But how?

The Administrator did not approve of the idea of REDs and BLUs getting along with each other… _at all_. She also had cameras set up all over the arena. We were lucky enough to get away with what we'd done, but what would happen if she found us helping each other?

Not only that, but I felt as if I was betraying my team. Several days ago, I spotted the BLU Sniper cleaning his gun behind a crate. Aiming steadily, I lined up my sights, knowing that this would be an easy kill. My finger twitched over the trigger, but in the end…I couldn't do it. Now, when I talk to Scout or Pyro, I feel like they could _see_ the deception rolling off of me. I'm a horrible person…

Today was a ceasefire day, so training would resume its normal schedule. The weather was wild, fifty degrees with thunderstorms. If felt like a hurricane, but that wasn't going to stop Soldier from getting his daily dose of yelling in.

"TWO MORE BATTLES! In order to win, we must work hard! In order to work hard, we must have motivation! In order to have motivation, we must lose! So, in conclusion, LOSERS ARE WINNERS!" Soldier screamed in the Medic's face before leaning backwards, a thoughtful look crossing his face, "I think I said that wrong…" His visage shifted from a pensive look to a snarl. His head snapped to my direction, but since everyone was already walking away from him, I took the chance to speed-walk in the opposite direction. I could barely hear the Soldier over the wind as he grumbled to himself.

Reporting to my station, I took off my sun hat and sat on it, making sure it wouldn't fly away. My blond hair, which was in a pony tail, flew wildly behind me as the wind briefly picked up its pace. The desert sand under my boots flew up to hit me in the face, making me flinch backwards. I could hear the Scout's obnoxious laugh over the wind as he doubled over, thinking my reaction was funny...he got what he was asking for in the end though when a large chunk of sand flew into his mouth. Childishly, I stuck my tongue out at him briefly, afraid I would receive a mouthful of sand as well.

I believed the Scout was now starting to realize that I was not interested in him. He'd stopped draping his arm over my shoulders every time he sat next to me, and doesn't wink or call me "toots" as often. He's more like a brother than anything, annoying at times, but fun to hang out with.

Pulling out my Springfield, I began training, missing almost every single target I fired at. How in the hell was I supposed to practice in this kind of weather? The thick desert sand was flying in many different directions, making it impossible to see ten feet in front of me, and the cold wind was giving me the chills, causing me to shake slightly in my tank top and vest. Sighing in frustration, I stood from my spot, bending down to grab my sun hat.

But it wasn't there…

_Damn_. I watched as the tan and black hat tumbled across the ground. I wouldn't have been able to spot if it wasn't for the black ribbon I had tied around the head of the hat. Sprinting forward, I chased after the headgear like a madwoman. This hat was _very_ important to me… It was the only thing that I had that was a gift from my father.

It was my only connection to home.

Diving forward, I grasped the familiar roughness of the straw hat, accomplishment flooding through me. As I dusted the sand off my pants (just to end up getting more sand on them), I saw a pair of black boots approach. Looking up, I saw the person who I'd been wanting to have a little chat with, the BLU Sniper. He was holding his hat against his head, squinting at me. Apparently, he must had been alone because the BLU team still had one hour to report to the training grounds.

"What are you doin' out here, sheila?!" He yelled overtop of the fierce wind. "You know you're about one kilo away from our base, roight?

"Uh-I lost my hat, but I found it!" I replied with a shout. "I've been needing to talk to you!"

"What did you say?!"

"I have to TALK to YOU!" I said, stepping forward for better auditory signal. I had to tilt my head upwards to keep eye contact.

"You're gonna 'ave to speak up, mate! Oi can't hear a bloody word you're sayin'!" He held his hand behind his ear, leaning down slightly.

I stood up on my tiptoes, bringing my lips close to his ear.

"ME! YOU! TALK IN PRIVATE!"

"Oh, well why didn't ya say that in the first place?! Don't cha think it will be hard to talk when the wind is blowin' us around like golliwogs, though?!"

I smacked my palm against my face. On the outside, this man had the three C's going on for him: calm, cool, and collected. But after you get to know him, he was flat-out dumb.

"If ya want, we can take this little chinwag back to my van? After that, oi can't talk to ya anymore. Rules are rules..!" Removing his hat from his head, he revealed his muddy brown hair, which fluttered without the restraint of his trophy belt, "Just meet me over yonder after this bloody wind calms down...that is where my van is located." Watching his hand point to an arch of rock that was a half-mile down the road, I saw his van parked underneath it. Giving him a thumbs up, I was prepared to make my leave when something stupidly amazing happened.

Awkwardly, he reached out and hugs me. My body tenses in surprise as his arms tightened around my waist. My heart fluttered with no warning, making my breath hitch in my throat. Hesitantly, I patted his back with my free hand, amazed at how forward he was. I know we'd talked a little before, but I didn't know he was like _this_.

It's been a long time since I had an intimate-like physical hug. It felt kind of… good, actually. He smelled oddly like perfume…or maybe I was just imagining things.

Pulling away, he placed his hat back on his head, tilting it as a way of saying goodbye. Slowly, I waved back, unsure if that was the correct gesture to use.

* * *

I ran back to the training grounds, glad to see that the wind was finally calming down. Everyone except Pyro never noticed my absence.

"Mmmmrph huddah?" He said to me. Waving him off, I replied:

"No where, just lost my hat, and I couldn't find it."

I waved the straw hat in my hand to emphasize my point. Pyro placed his hands on his hips, and tilted his head. He made an odd humming noise as if he were doubting what I said.

"I'm not joking! I lost my hat, but I found it!" I said. I was telling half of the truth, which was better than not telling any of it at all...right?

If I didn't feel bad before, I felt horrible now. Not only was I indirectly betraying my teammates, I was also lying to them…

Shrugging his shoulders, Pyro turned his back to me, waving me forward with his gloved hand. Training for the day had ended…

* * *

For the rest of my time, I sat quietly on the couch in our mess hall, listening to the Scout and Heavy bicker back and forth about silly things.

"At least I don't give _mah_ guns names, and treat them as if they were real people! Well...other than Thunder and Lighting right here." Flexing his arms, Scout kissed his "guns", murmuring to them about how beautiful they were.

"At least Heavy take care of his guns. They have grown big and strong! Unlike Scout's baby arms." Chuckles filled the room as Scout's face turned a deep shade of red.

"Not cool, man! At least-"

Standing up from my position, I announced that I would be heading to bed, hoping that no one would bother to check and see if I were _actually_ going to. Walking down the hall, I bump into several of my team members, but didn't say anything more than a simple "Hello."

Entering my room, I headed straight for the window, thankful to know that everyone's dorm rooms were located on the ground level. Before leaving, I grabbed my kukri out of my bag.

_You never know..._ I carefully shimmied myself out the open, glass window, happy that my short height was (for once) coming in handy.

I ran to the training grounds, easily pacing myself. Thanks to all the running I'd done, my endurance has improved greatly! I had never felt more alive before than I did now.

Sprinkles of rain were just beginning to hit my back when I finally arrived to the Sniper's van. Knocking on his door, I spent the next few seconds relishing the cool feeling of the water against my skin. It's been so long...too long.

"Bloody hell, what are you doing here?" I was greeted with an unhappy-looking Sniper. Gazing up from my feet, I saw that he was dressed for bed, a white t-shirt and checkered boxers adorning his lean (yet muscular) form. Blushing as I moved my eyes to his face, I answered:

"Don't you remember? You told me to come here, right before your training started..?" Grumbling, the Sniper yanked me inside his van, mumbling something about not wanting "other people seein' ya". Viewing his little "home", I saw a tiny bed was folded out from the side of the van, taking up most of the space. Several coffee mugs sat neglected on the countertop next to a refrigerator that had probably seen better days.

"You shouldn't be here, sheila…" He warned, his voice taking an extremely different tone from before. "Oi'm sorry, but oi don't rememba talkin' with ya outside. The only other time was during the missions."

"I don't understand..!" Thoughts rushed through my mind as the memories of me talking to the BLU Sniper replayed itself. "I asked you if we could talk in private, and you acted like a total dumbass...no offense! But, I _know_ we talked...unless…" My words faltered.

The perfume.

The awkward hug.

The odd personality quirks.

She tricked me! The fucking Spy tricked me!

How she knew where I was at in that sandstorm was beyond me, but disguising herself as the BLU Sniper told me that it all wasn't just a "mishap".

"Oi, you ok there, mate?"

No, I wasn't ok.

"Your Spy… She disguised herself to look like you and tricked me! Next time I get my hands on her, I swear I'm going to _enjoy_ ripping her into pieces." I gritted my teeth angrily, and clenched my fists. Was she trying to get us caught by sending me to the Sniper's van?

"Oi've known the spook for some time now, and oi promise on me mum's grave that she probably didn't do it."

"_Probably_?" I spat out, surprised with his defensive position. I don't think he realized that she was also throwing _him_ under the bus as well by sending me here.

"Now, everything has a reasonable explanation-" He's cut off by a knock on the door.

Fear coursed through my veins as my eyes widened. Sniper returned my expression equally, and quickly pointed to the bed. Without another word, I dove underneath his retractable mattress, praying to God that I wouldn't get caught. I couldn't lose this job… What will I do without? Just the thought of not seeing any of the friends again made me sick…

"Bonjour, Sniper. How are you dis evening?" That voice…

It was the female Spy.

"Hey, What brings you out here at this time, spook?" He asked, ignoring her question. I couldn't see anything from my position besides the two pairs of feet that were in front of me.

"Just here to check up on my dear friend… Nothing else." Her smooth voice seemed to float through the air she talked, "Oh, but I do have a question that I need to ask you."

I watched as her high-heeled shoes pointed in my direction. Shit! She probably knew I was here! I was preparing to crawl out from underneath the mattress when a weight was placed against my back. She was sitting on me!

"My, what a hard bed! And its noisy, too. Mon ami, you need a new set." The Spy said, bouncing on my back to make her point.

_I think she's doing that on purpose._

"Yeah, yeah, now what's your question?" Sniper urged her on. If I could see what her face looked like, I was sure the spook was pouting.

"Oui oui, well, I was wondering… How is your father?" She asked hesitantly. A pregnant pause floated through the air.

"He's fine."

"...I see." Her tone changed from teasing to a more serious one. "How long has he been at ze hospital?"

"Five years now… Why does it matter all of a sudden? Me mum died and he went crazy, that's it, end of story."

"You seem a little… anxious zese days. I've known you for a very long time you know, so don't hesitate to come and talk." I sighed in relief when she stood from her spot on the bed, but quickly threw my hands over my mouth. I just blew it, I just blew it, I just _blew_ it.

"My, your bed is _very_ noisy… How can you sleep on it?"

"Oi just do, now can you please… Oi'm tired and ready to hit the hay."

"Of course, merci and au revoir." With a couple more clicks of her heels, and a slam of a door, she was gone.

"FINALLY! That girl needs to lay off the croissants 'cause that hurt!" I said, climbing out from underneath the bed.

"Shh! Bloody hell, mate, we could get caught!" He hushed me. I watched as he threw on a pair of pants, muttering to himself: "'Ow many bloody women saw my boxers?" I could feel my face heat up slightly as I turned my back to him to give him some privacy. This poor guy was probably used to the comforts of isolation, and then suddenly two women come through his land of peace to destroy the walls he'd spent years building.

"I'm sorry."

"Whatcha say?"

"I'm sorry for barging into your home like that. Not only was it disrespectful, but I was invading also your privacy."

"...No worries, sheila. You were just confused." He said. A silence fell as we both stared at each other. It wasn't awkward like how I was with my teammates for the first week. It was comfortable… I felt like I could connect with this man, him being a sniper and all. But what I heard about his family… that feeling of being lost, floating in a sea of darkness…I could relate.

And it's about time that we become found.

"I would like to talk to you some other time… not as enemies, not as coworkers, but as friends." I said, making my way to his door. Opening it slightly, I peeked out to see if anyone was looking.

"As long as no one else knows where you're at…that's fine with me." He replied, patting me on the back.

Tomorrow, I would return. As I run back to my base, all I could think about was the pat on the back that he gave me. Honestly, I would take that little gesture over any hug, any day.

His kindness was more than enough, making my palms sweaty and my heart jump when I talk to him. What is this feeling? I had been with men before, but never did I feel like this…

What's happening to me?

* * *

**A.N.: Woohoo! Another chapter done! I did some of this at 1:00 in the morning, so I apologize if it gets sloppy along the way. Everyone's reviews have helped me so much, but please review again on this chapter so I can make it better. I want to give you all my best! I'll get started on chapter 6 as soon as I post this! Goodbye!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N.: Hmm...I wonder if people actually read these…**

**Meine-Blumen: Thank you for reviewing! I appreciate you taking the time to help me become a better writer. :) Also, I remember reading author's notes where the writer will talk about how they posted their story really late at night, and that they just had to get it up as soon as possible. I now understand how they feel...late night writing sucks, but I'm falling in love with my viewers so I know that I have to keep going!**

**MedicSquid: check your PM**

**ShadowHunter: Snipers do rule! Thanks for the compliments! :)**

**Typ: Thank you! Love triangles always make the best stories!**

**Disclaimer: I wonder what it would be like to own TF2… It would most likely feel amazing, but I'd probably receive a lot of hate mail and I'd have to work long hours (I think). Maybe I'll just let John Cook and Robin Walker take care of it.**

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"Are you sure about this?" I asked. "What if someone sees us? I can't risk getting caught… More importantly, I would feel terrible if you got in trouble as well…"

"Nah… You've got nothin' to worry about, mate. No one really visits me anyway."

The next day after my encounter with two of the BLU team members, Miss Pauling informed us that we would not be fighting today, nor did she want us out training. Although the Soldier was depressed, everyone was busy back at the base partying and passing the time with board games and storytelling. I took the opportunity of this odd occasion (according to Medic) to come and visit my new friend.

We climbed up the side of his old camper, hissing in pain as our hands touched the hot, metal surface of the ladder. Compared to yesterday, today's weather was WAY better; scorching hot at ninety-eight degrees. I sat down on a plastic chair, watching him as he lugged up a spare for himself to sit on.

"Sorry, I usually don't have guests." He grunted out, having trouble unfolding his chair. Laughing lightly, I put my hand on the chair as a way of telling him to not get frustrated. I pushed a button on the metal leg, looking over at him smugly.

"Now try it."

Surely enough, the chair unfolded with ease. Sniper grumbled out a "I bloody knew that" before taking a seat. We sat for several minutes, just soaking in the hot desert sun in silence.

"So, why are you here?" I turned to Sniper, seeing that he took off his aviators to reveal his dark blue eyes. I shuddered as he sat there staring at me, waiting for my answer.

"I was just bored. There's no one to really talk to back at my base." I said nervously. I was the worst liar ever...

"Ah pigs bum! Tell me the truth, sheila...Why are you _really_ here?" He chuckled a little before continuing on, "I've had girls come to me before askin' for a rompin'. So if that's what you're here for, you've come to the wrong door." I was sure my face was so red that it was hotter than the metal ladder that we climbed.

"No, no, no, no!" I waved my arms around frantically, "that's not what I'm here for!"

"Go ahead, and tell me then."

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I answered, "Well, I feel like we can relate to each other…" A confused look crossed his face, his laughing lines becoming more prominent.

"What do ya mean?"

"It's just… What you said yesterday about your mom and dad. I could feel the pain in your voice. Do you know what I mean now?" I asked, feeling silly for bringing up something so personal.

"...Yah...Oi actually do." A thoughtful look fell upon his features. "You know… Oi've always been so used to bein' isolated out of a group, and honestly... oi didn't mind in the past." I watched him play with his sunglasses, opening and closing the sides. "Oi rememba when Oi was a young bloke, someone asked me: 'What's the whole world worth when you've got no one to show it to?' At the time, Oi thought he was bloody crazy, but now, Oi understand…" His voice trailed off as we continue to sit in silence. Twiddling my thumbs, I sat there feeling dumb, not sure what to say. In order to break the silence, I said the first thing that came to my head.

"How old are you?" I mentally face-palm. Great, now he probably thinks I'm stalker.

"Why? How old do you think Oi am." A smirk tugged at his lips, daring me to guess incorrectly.

"Um… forty-five?" I answered. He laughed heartily, exclaiming that I was way off mark. I smiled lightly in return, glad to see that he was finally opening up to me. Before I came here, I was a socially awkward girl with no family, wanted for the accidental murder of an elderly woman in several states. I will forever be that girl for the rest of my life, but now...I had a real family, and I was not as socially challenged as I used to be.

"Oi'll be turnin' thirty-five this comin' winter." My jaw practically fell in my lap as his words entered my ears.

"No way! I'm turning twenty-four this coming winter as well." He nodded his head, probably finding it unnecessary to move any further into the conversation.

Another period of silence…

…

"Do you have someone waiting for you back at home?"

"In Australia?"

I nodded my head.

"Yah…her name is Charlotte."

He must had seen the sad look that crossed my face because he quickly added on to the sentence.

"She's my pet crocodile! Geez, Oi thought you were gonna cry for a second there!" He flashed me his slightly crooked teeth, finding my reaction funny. He had a nice smile…

My emotions were betraying me by the second, if anything he probably thought I was a cute_ kid_...I knew how this stuff works… Changing the topic, I switched to a different position, wanting to know more about the rough Aussie.

"What was your childhood like in Australia? Did you have to catch your food and cook it over a fire every night?"

"Nah, nothin' like that. Oi did spend a lot of my time hunting, though. Have I told you about my 'Rules of Snipin'' though?" An exasperated sigh escaped my lips.

"Yes...many times, actually."

For the rest of the morning, we talked about our families. He had an older sister named Catherine who couldn't stand the sight of a dead animal, so she became a vegetarian which was quite ironic since her brother was a huntsman who lived in the Outbacks for ten years of his life. I told Sniper about my older brother, who was really popular in school which was also ironic because I was a loner in my class.

Our discussion continued on, both of us always finding new and ridiculous things to talk about. Like how we hated it when the Soldiers would talk with food in their mouths, and every time they would say "MAGGOTS!", chewed up food would fly everywhere. We also discussed how we wished our Demomen would quit using so much toilet paper, and we chatted about the feuds between our Scouts and Heavies that would always leave the Scouts' egos injured and the Heavies' eyes full of tears.

Eventually though, all things must come to an end.

"I've got to head back to the RED base." I said sadly. Nodding his head, Sniper grabbed his chair and folded it up, throwing it to the ground afterward. I watched him as bended down to touch his toes, stretching his body out and then standing fully erect.

"Why are you so tall?" I asked him in a joking manner.

"...Why are you so short?" He fired back. Climbing down the ladder carefully, he waited for me to join him at the ground. Rubbing my sweaty palms together, I began to descend down.

As my hands reached for the second rung, I look down at my feet. That was a horrible decision, however, because my hands slipped from the railing, and I ended up falling back-first to the ground. I braced for the impact, but I was surprised when it never came.

"Ah piss, I think your zipper cut my hand…"

He caught me.

Immediately, I tensed up and turned out of his grip. Looking up at his face, I was astonished to find a light tinge of pink spreading from the bridge of his nose to his ears.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking, and I was being dumb like usual, and I-" He cut me off before I could continue my nervous rambling.

"I'll clean my hand off, you head on back, ok?" He said, holding his bloody palm against his blue shirt. Goddamn, why am I such a fuck-up?!

Before my head could explode from embarrassment, I gave Sniper an awkward wave goodbye before speed-walking back to my base.

That was more embarrassing than the time when Scout shoved a dime up his nose last week and couldn't get it out (Demo dared him to do it).

I entered the base the way that I left; through my window, finding that my room was still the same.

_Wait…_ Glancing around the room, I desperately searched for my sun hat. I decided to leave it in my room today because I wanted to get some sun on my face, and now it's gone! Checking my door, I see that it is unlocked.

"What the hell…" I muttered to myself.

Someone was in my room.

I hoped that wasn't the case, but I'd learned in the past that I must always hope for the best, but expect the worse. Who would want to come into my room?

I exited through my door, deciding to go search for my hat. Knowing Scout, he probably thought it would be funny to take my stuff.

"Bonjour." I jumped and clutch at my chest as the Spy spoke from behind me.

"You scared the shit out of me… What do you want?"

"My, what a filthz mouth. I just wanted to know where you were went waz all..." I froze in my spot, my heartbeat quickening its pace.

"In my room? I was catching up on some Z's, if you know what I mean." I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my neck. The Spy crept forward towards me, each long step that he took made me take one equally long stride back. My back collided against the wall, my stomach fluttering in fear. Running a gloved finger down my face, he grasped my chin firmly, directing my gaze upon his fierce green eyes.

"Mon cher, you are such a beautiful woman...but you are as dumb as zey come. You underestimate me greatly, petite, just make sure next time when you leave, don't make so much noise." And with that, he kissed me upon the forehead before disappearing around the corner seconds later. I slid slowly down the wall, tucking my knees in like a child. How would he be able to hear me if his room is on the opposite end of the hall?

Unless he was standing in front of my door…

"YOU PERVERT!" I screamed out in rage, not giving a crap if someone else could hear me. Oh, it's on… It is _so_ on.

Running down the hallways, I searched for the spook. Calling out little taunts every once in a while. After about thirty minutes of searching, I decided to give up.

"Coward!" I yelled out finally, before heading to the cafeteria to grab some food.

He's been watching me! What's with these spies getting into my business! I could understand the female spook, but ours? _Hell no_.

"Howdy, Sniper! Are you feelin' alright?" Engineer asked me from the couch when I entered the dining room.

"Yeah, just tired and feeling a little homesick…" I said quietly with a sigh.

"Well, if leetle Sniper wants company we shall cheer her up then!" The Heavy's booming voice laughed. "Come sit with Heavy. We will discuss topics of all sorts." Smiling softly, I agreed, telling him to wait while I grabbed a bite to eat. When I returned, we began to talk about everyday things, like what's going on around the world.

"Hey! Can I have one of those crackers? I'ma _starvin'_" Scout moaned out while grabbing his stomach. His baseball game was on commercial, so he decided to come over and pester me.

"There are more in the kitchen." I simply said, waving him off with my hand, but minutes later, when I wasn't paying attention, I saw him steal one out of the corner of my eye. Out of reflex, I extended my foot, causing him to fall face-first onto the carpet. Heavy and I laughed at his misfortune; Scout glaring at us while shoving the entire cracker into his mouth.

This is what I considered a family...a group of people who are willing to do anything for each other no matter what.

But a dark thought soon crossed my mind. I could see the Spy enter the kitchen, but we didn't say a single word to each other.

How long could I keep everything a secret?

And where the frick was my hat?!

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**A.N.: Finally! This chapter is apart of the rising action. I had to get some Sniper fluffiness in somewhere, so I dedicated this chapter to the building relationship of our Snipers! :D I don't want to rush things too quickly because sometimes that's how good stories become bad ones; when everything moves too fast. Please, leave me a review! If you are liking everything so far, tell me why so I can use it for future reference. See you all later! :3**


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N.: This chapter will start to pick things back up! If you are currently standing while reading this, post this face (:O) in the review. Just trying to make things interesting...Oh and while you're at it, leave me a little "something-something" too. ;)**

**MedicSquid: Once again… thank you for the tip :). I reread what I put in my previous chapter and found several grammatical errors along with what you pointed out. You're the best!**

**SilentRanger777: You're so kind, I appreciate that you're looking out for me! :D**

**GodzillaKom: Love triangles are the best! And more fighting is surely to come, I promise. RED Spy is like a fourth wheel in our romance, so I suppose instead of it being a triangle, it is now a "Love Square"?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TF2. If you actually read the disclaimer, post this face (:3) in the review… if you do-uh...I'll give you a cookie?**

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_Narrowing my eyes, I pinpointed my target's vehicle at approximately seven-hundred meters, moving along at a slow pace. Wind speed was five miles per hour, so I needed to aim slightly to the left of my target. _

_I pulled the scope up to my eyes, following the path of the car as it slowly came to a stop at a traffic light._

_Now!_

_Everything moved in slow motion. The bullet, which would normally rip its course through the air at a fast rate, moved at a gentle and slow speed. The innocent bystanders performed their daily routines, unknowing of the small round that will change their lives permanently in an instant._

_Through the tinted front shield of the car it went, a tiny hole with several cracks materializing at the point of its entrance. I watched as the driver of the vehicle slammed on his brakes, and climbed out of his car in distress. My eyes widened as I peered through my scope; the man I was expecting to climb out was suppose to be my victim's bodyguard._

_It was an old man._

_He called out for help, obviously terrified by what happened. Several people with blurred faces ran forward, petrified by what they saw. Some men tugged the body out of the car, laying it slowly upon the concrete sidewalk. It was a woman._

_She was shot in the neck. Tears flooded my eyes as I watched her choke on her own blood, grasping her husband's hands with pain in her eyes as her final moments of life came and went._

_What have I done?_

_It was an accident…_

_I didn't mean to..._

_What have I DONE!_

I awoke with my face buried deep into my pillow, tears staining the fabric where my eyes were. Wiping my face with my hand, I sit up in my bed, recalling what I considered as the worst day of my life. My nightmares seem to be becoming more vivid and lively each time I fall asleep.

I didn't know how much longer I could take this horrible feeling of guilt.

I moved through my morning routine like a robot. I brushed my hair, made my bed, and then cleaned my teeth. Afterwards, I dressed in my everyday uniform, spending several minutes searching for my hat only to come up empty-handed. It was a boring and slow process, one that may seem like a nuisance, but contained many important things that are required to complete before you can start your day correctly.

I left my room, dragging my feet upon the wooden floor as I made my way to the life of the base, the cafeteria. I was surprised to find that the large room was empty, void of any living-being. Glancing at the clock, my head drooped in embarrassment.

It was three o'clock in the morning, the windows assuring me that the time was correct because of the deep, black color that was evident behind it. An exaggerated yawn escaped my lips while I cracked the bones and stretched the muscles in my body. There was no way I could fall back asleep after what I just dreamt about…

I entered the kitchen, searching through the cabinets for my favorite cereal, but all I could find was an array of foreign cereals lined neatly against each other. Eventually, however, I found a box of "Loot Froops" in the very last cabinet by the refrigerator, but when I peaked inside, the box was nearly empty.

"Dammit, Scout…" I mumbled out, my voice cracking from just waking up. Shoving the box back into its place, I grabbed a German cereal box that looked somewhat like "Loot Froops"...hopefully they'll taste like them.

Exiting the kitchen with my bowl and spoon, I set my things upon the surface of the large dining table. I heard a thump come from the pool table in the corner of the room, but I shrugged it off. This base was always making weird noises…

I slowly scooped the pieces into my mouth, pleased to find that they did taste similarly to the English version, they just had a little aftertaste.

_Thump!_ I started, glancing around the room warily.

"Who's there?" I called out, my voice shaking slightly. I waited for several seconds before deciding to go and find out where the noise came from. Steadily, I grabbed a plastic knife out a packaged bag. Plastic did not seem like my safest bet, but I could stab someone in the eye with it if I had to…

Edging forward, my eyes fervently scanned the room, searching for any sign of movement in the dark space. My breathing became heavier and quickened its pace along with my heart.

_There!_ I raised my knife into the air, preparing to attack whoever was there.

"Show yourself!" I said, waiting for the silhouette to move. Edging out from the dark corner, it stepped into the light to reveal my teammate.

"Huddah! Huddah!" The Pyro waved at me excitedly. Lowering my knife, I began to scold him for scaring me, his head drooping in shame.

"C'mon buddy, let's go eat breakfast…" I said, wrapping my arm around his shoulders to guide him back to the table. As we walked, a foreign stench reached my nostrils. It was pleasant, but really strong. When we reached the table, I swiftly dumped my bowl's contents onto the floor, and smashed the glass container against the Pyro's head. His body collapsed on the floor, making me wonder if that was really him, but surely enough, his clothes changed from a red fire-suit to a blue dress.

I gasped when I realized my suspicions' were confirmed. I ran to the television knocking over several movies that were sitting idly on top. I reached behind it, trying to find the lever that would warn my teammates of an enemy Spy infiltrating our base. As my fingertips brushed against the handle, white-gloved hands snaked themselves around my waist and throat. I kicked my legs wildly, struggling to pull away from the female Spy.

"Stop it… Respawn doesn't work outside of battle you know!" She hissed out, waiting patiently for me to calm down. She pressed her butterfly knife against my jugular, pressing hard enough for blood to break through the surface and dribble down my neck. Almost instantly, I knew I was at her mercy.

She tied my hands with the fabric of a jacket she was wearing, setting me on a plastic chair roughly. I tried to stand up, but she shoved her revolver in my face, forcing me to remain seated.

"Avery Williams, age twenty-three… born in Wezterville, Ohio on December 4th... Mon ami...I've been doing my research." She gave me a sly smile, chuckling when I bared my teeth at her.

"How could you _possibly_ know that!" I spat out at her. I could see a large bruise forming on her forehead, right where I hit her with my bowl. With a flip of her long, dark hair, she circled my chair, speaking in a taunting tone.

"I have my ways...but what is more important at ze moment, is the reason why I'm here." She placed her hands on the back of my chair. "Olivia Mundy died five years ago at the age of sixty-one… She had a daughter and _son_ who were sad to know zat zeir mozzer died of a fatal gunshot wound to ze neck."

"What does this-"

"Patience, little girl… Olivia Mundy is ze woman zat you murdered… I'm surprised zat you don't even know her name, you stupid child!" The elder woman cackled, running her hand through my hair delicately. I struggled in my chair, feeling my restraints loosen slightly, but before I could move anymore, the spook returned her knife to my throat, making me wheeze in pain as it scraped against the wound that was already there.

"Because of you, _my Sniper has had to live through years of confusion_, blaming himself for her death, _believing_ zat everyzing was all his fault!"

A lump formed in my throat.

"If you ever dare to speak to him again, I will tell him your _deepest_ and _darkest_ secret. Make _no_ mistake of zat…"

Thoughts of Sniper and I surfaced in my mind. I reflected on how much time we've spent together these past few days, telling each other funny jokes and sad stories; playing games of chess and tricks on one another; sitting in silence in front of the hot sun, just enjoying each other's presence.

I then thought of the giant wrecking ball known as "reality" that would come to tear down our relationship. With one swing, the ball would destroy the walls of friendship we had built…

Friendship… maybe a little more than friendship, but it was still too early to tell if he returned my feelings. Hell… I'm not even sure if what I _was_ feeling was more than just friendship.

But, every time he'd direct his dark blue gaze in my direction, feelings of happiness would spread through me. Every awkward glance, stutter, and gesture he would give me made my heart jump in excitement. This _had_ to be more than just friendship.

The butt of the Spy's revolver struck against my head, knocking me unconscious. My last fleeting thought crossed through my mind as the corners of my vision blackened, slowly narrowing. Because of my mistake, the time I had spent with Sniper was turning into nothing more but an empty promise.

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I awoke with a piercing headache, the sound of thumping entering my ears.

"Fraulein, time to vake up! Miss Pauling is calling us down to ze presentation room! Ve must hurry!" I could hear footsteps echo down the hall. Groggily, I sat up in my bed, the sounds of blood rushing through my ears making me feel sick. I sat there for several seconds just staring at my hands before my memories came flying back to me like a missile.

...The Spy!

Quickly, I stood up from my bed, regretting it moments later when I suddenly felt light-headed. My hands flew to my throat, running over the painful scar that reminded me of the spook's little late night visit. How was she able to get me back to my room unnoticed?

I exited my room, heading in the direction of the basement with only my socks on. I decided to take this time to sort out my thoughts alone over what happened several hours prior. Recalling what the female Spy said, I remembered her mentioning something along the lines of "_my_ Sniper"...

Was she infatuated with him?

I'd never heard teammates use possessive-pronouns before when referring to each other...

He told me he had no one else in his life, and that usually people would ignore him when he passed by. Did she threaten me because she was genuinely worried for Sniper?

Or was she jealous of the relationship we had?

Loud chatting was emitting through the cracked door of the presentation room, breaking my line of thought. When I entered, I was astonished to find that the BLU team was here as well. Walking up to Engineer, I asked him what's going on.

"Miss Pauling said it was an emergency, so _everyone_ had to report here. Maybe she'll tell us why we've been havin' ceasefires for almost everyday this week…" His voice trailed off when Miss Pauling entered the room. The short woman was carrying a clipboard and pen in her hands.

"How ya doin', Miss Pauling!"

"What's up, Miss Pauling!"

Both the Scouts glared at each other, preparing to throw out insults, but before all hell could break loose again, Miss Pauling held up her hand.

"Good morning, everyone. I am here to report some bad news…" She said, pausing for a brief moment to play a video on the projector. The video began by showing the familiar outline of a drunken Scotsman that we all knew, but when the light's brightened, it revealed a one-eyed robot carrying a grenade launcher.

"What in tarnation? Is that Demoman?" The BLU Engineer called out, his southern accent just as strong as the RED team's Engie.

"Yes, I apologize for not having anymore information about these machines, but I am deeply sorry to tell you tha-that Redmond and Blutarch Mann have been murdered several days ago by their brother, Gray Mann." Gasps filled the room as the information presented itself. I glanced over to the BLU Sniper, seeing that his eyes were trained against mine.

_"Make no mistake of zat…"_ The BLU Spy's voice called in my mind. I quickly directed my gaze away from Sniper, finding the BLU bitch standing not too far away from him.

"Gray Mann is planning on taking over this company, and we need your help to fight off his army of robots… Do not fret, we will re-employ you and promise to keep our side of the contract intact. Just...the only difference is that you will have to work together." Miss Pauling was forced to duck out of the room as all the men resumed their previous arguments. Several chairs were even thrown around, one of them knocking me off my feet as I tried to exit the room.

I saw a hand extend down to help me up. It was the BLU Sniper's. In the corner of my eye, I could see and _feel _the female spook's intense gaze as she narrowed her eyes, waiting for my reaction. I can't…

I ignored his hand, watching as his face twisted into a look of confusion as I refused to meet his eyes. Jogging outside, I find Miss Pauling writing several notes on her clipboard.

"How much time do we have?" I asked her.

"Not long… He's almost done building his army. I recommend someone take on a look-out position just in case. Other than that, I don't know what else to do…" I placed my hand upon her shoulder, telling her to get out as soon as she could.

My relationship problems would have to wait its turn… I've got bigger problems now.

But, first… We have to learn how to get along with each other…

…Well, shit.

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**A.N.: Mann vs. Machine, baby! Next chapter will be the beginning of the battle! Plus, our Sniper discovers how her other half truly feels about her! But what will the Spy do about it? Review and give me some ideas for the next chapter, and constructive criticism is welcomed! :D Au revoir! Geez, why am I using so many exclamation points?!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A.N.: More battle action for this chapter. This story is turning out better than I thought (my expectations were pretty low)! **

**MedicSquid: Thank you (once again :D) for another review! Here is your cookie for catching my disclaimer! (Let's just play pretend) :)**

**Meine-Blumen: I'm happy to know that you are pleased with the story so far EXCLAMATION POINT! :3**

**GodzillaKom: I saw that I was already on ch.7 and from the very beginning I was planning on using MvM as the major conflict, so I felt like now was the perfect time to put it in while Avery's relationship problems are reaching its peak point. I'm glad that you are pumped for my upcoming chapters! You are my very first reviewer, so I'm happy to know that you have stayed with me for this long! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: A little fact about me...I didn't know what the purpose of a disclaimer was before I wrote this story! I received several very unhappy messages…I wonder why..? Nah! I'm just joking. That never happened. I do not own Team Fortress 2.**

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"YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THE DEFINITION OF INTELLIGENCE IF IT KICKED YOU IN THE PECKER, BOY."

"Yah! Comin' from the guy who beats a shovel against his head like a retard!"

"Heavy does not appreciate comment-"

"You've got nothin' to do with this, fatso!"

For the rest of the morning, the two Medics and I tried to bring the teams together, but after so many years of fighting and killing each other, it just wasn't going to happen. Some of the mercenaries were even fighting with their own teammates, making this entire thing seem pointless.

We sent the BLU Sniper up to be our lookout, promising him that we would switch out when he was ready to come in. I was kind of hoping to be up there instead of him...this is getting really out of hand.

"Bloodeh Spy! I got some business to set'le with ye! Always messin' with me mind…" The RED Demoman accused the BLU Spy of being a whore...in all honesty, I agreed with Demo, but if we wanted to protect _our home _from Gray Mann and his army, we would need everyone on the same side. A three-sided war was threatening to break out...as if a two-sided one wasn't enough.

"I haven't 'messed' around with anyone, you Scottish cyclops."

"Whot?! Why Oi oughta…"

"Fucking hell! Sniper! The BLU Scout won't stop pokin' me!"

"Why the hell would I wanna touch a RED? You all are just a bunch o' ugly bitches!"

"Oh yah? That's not what your mom said last night…"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I yelled out, waiting for everyone's attention. "Goddamn! I feel like I'm surrounded by children! Gray Mann is building his army of robots RIGHT NOW, and all we can do is fight like a bunch of babies over stupid things that happened in the past! Jesus, no one cares about what you think about each other. This guy is about to take away everything that we live for: our homes, our jobs, our _passion_. So if you could all please, cry me river, build a bridge, and GET OVER IT!"

Silence fell like a brick as I stood fuming with anger, focusing my glare on the couch. Whispers moved throughout the room, most likely about me.

"...BLU Scout is still pokin' me…"

"I am not!"

I let out a frustrated growl as the occupants of the RED cafeteria resumed their quarreling, becoming even louder than before. I turned to the RED Medic and told him I was heading out to the lookout station. I couldn't stand being in that room anymore. The Medics reassured me that they would take care of things, and shooed me off. I left the building without another word, my anger getting the best of me.

I paced around the front porch of our base, trying to cool myself down before heading up the "Sniper's Nest" as I liked to call it. I'd never been up there before because of my lack of reasoning.

From my position, I saw the Sniper's trophy belt hat peeking over the railing. With a deep sigh, I headed over to the ladder and begun my ascent, making sure that I grasped each rung firmly, so then I wouldn't have to repeat what happened the _last_ time I climbed a ladder.

Popping my head through the door in the floor, I watched as Sniper jumped lightly from the noise, obviously not expecting anyone.

"Oi, what are you doin' up 'ere, sheila?" He asked in surprise, reaching down to help me up, but I denied his hand, climbing up on my own.

"It was getting crazy down in the base, so I decided to relieve you of your duty a little earlier than planned." I said without any emotion. Damn that BLU spook…

Extending my hand, I asked for the rifle, hoping that he will just hand it over and leave, but of course, things just don't always seem to work in my favor.

"What's been botherin' ya, mate? You seem to be a bit down in the dumps lately…" He questioned with concern. His eyes weren't shielded by his aviators at the moment, making everything all the harder as they shined with worry.

"It's nothing." I said, reaching to take the sniper rifle out of his hands, but as my fingers brushed against it, he held it above his head.

"Oi've known you long enough to know when you're a lyin' to me or not, so don't even try it." His voice took on a serious tone. I noticed how his looming height seemed to tower over mine as he asked for a truthful answer.

"I can't…"

"You can't, what?"

"I can't tell you." I said, looking away in shame. My emotions were once again getting the best of me, tears threatening to fall down my cheeks. I refused to talk to him, but no matter what, I just can't make things right! If I talked, the Spy would tell him about the horrible crime I committed against his family, and if I don't talk, Sniper would think I'm trying to ignore him, so he pushes even harder to find out what's wrong with me.

I saw his hand reach out to me, but before he could touch my face I smack it away roughly.

"I _just_ can't…" I cried out, throwing my hands up to my face. I wasn't crying for myself, but for the Sniper and his family. It was all just a naïve mistake, one that I could _never_ take back.

I felt his arms wrap around my shoulders, making me gasp in fear. I pushed and shoved at him, even voicing several threats if he didn't let me go, but he never budged, tightening his arms with each punch to the stomach. After many seconds of just pushing, I finally relax into his embrace, sobbing my eyes out as he spoke.

"Look, mate, Oi don't know if you're mad at me, or if you're just frustrated with all this "Gray Mann" stuff, but Oi need you to know somethin'" He said, never breaking the embrace. "When Oi'm with you, Oi feel like Oi can just be myself knowin' that Oi've got someone who Oi can voice my problems too." I cried harder as he said those words, finding it more difficult to listen to him by the second. "Oi keep gettin' this funny feelin' in my chest when Oi see you...Oi've never experienced it before, and Oi don't know what to do about it!" His voice trailed off as he loosened his arms. A tinge of pink was covering his face as he tried to look me in my red, puffy eyes.

"I have something I need to tell you…" I said quietly, trying to calm the hiccups that came out as I talked. It would be best if I told him what happened instead of having someone who was never there voice their own version of it all.

"Robots…" He said in a low tone, his gaze flickering behind me.

"Robots?" I asked confused.

"AH PISS! ROBOTS! Take a gander at that!" He yelled out. Swiftly I turned around to find tiny gray dots marching in our direction.

"They're approximately eight-hundred meters away… so a lit'le less than one mile." He said, handing me the rifle to confirm his suspicions. Looking through the scope, my mouth dropped in amazement at the amount of robots marching toward us. I even saw several bots that looked just like me...each of them carry a Springfield M1903.

"Were they supposed to be here so early?" Sniper asked me.

"Well, Miss Pauling did say Mann was almost done completing his army…" I said, lowering the scope from my face. Turning around, I ushered the Sniper down the ladder, giving him light shoves on the back towards the door.

"After this...if we succeed…we'll be havin' a lit'le chat, you hear?" He said in all seriousness. I nodded my head, willing to do anything to get him down the ladder.

We sprinted to the base, being welcomed to the sight of torn down RED banners, broken furniture, and potting soil spread across the floor.

_So much for taking care of things… _We run to the cafeteria to find everyone with a set of chair legs and clubs beating up on each other.

"Bloody Hell! Are you alright?" The Sniper turned to the BLU Spy, lifting her limp body off the ground. It was badly bruised, as if someone had beaten her down with a club. The Sniper carried her bridal style to our couch, making a twinge of jealousy run through me, but now was not the time.

"THE ROBOTS ARE HERE!" I screamed over top of the loud and fighting men. Several turn to me, curious about what I had to say. "Help me!" I yelled at them. Soon enough the loud shouts of threats lowered to a hushed murmur.

"Everyone, grab your gear! They're heading for this base first, so we need to get going!" Like magic, all the men go running for their weapons, bringing out extra ammo for themselves. I, too, searched for my weapon, grabbing my Springfield from where I last left it in the corner of the room. After everyone was situated, and the Spy resting on the couch, we head outside to find a massive wave of robots in the distance, unmoving as if they were waiting for something.

The Soldiers try to give us all a pep talk, but in the end, they failed miserably. I could hear the RED Soldier asking "Any complaints, lady?" but I don't answer, too petrified to talk. The BLU Scout to my left was quaking in his tennis shoes, his chocolate eyes hinting fear. I reached over and patted his back, offering a nervous smile before returning my attention fully on the machines.

"ATTACK!" Our Soldiers shouted. Everyone gave out battle cries as they ran forward, the robots mimicking our moves. I stayed behind with the Sniper, Engineers, and our Pyro, who promised to spycheck the area for us as much as he could.

From the ground, I stood beside the RED Engineer's dispenser, taking out several Scout's with my sniping rifle. I could see the battle up ahead through my scope, and I wanted to shoot myself from what I saw.

The Demomen were firing their stickies into the same spot, making them glare at each other as they began to compete. Eventually, they were both killed before they could even detonate their massive mound of bombs.

The Soldiers seemed to be having a rocket jumping contest. Although it was quite effective, they ended up killing themselves as well, their bodies not being able to handle the impact of their landings.

Blood splattered against my clothes as the RED Engineer was headshot in the center of his forehead. I almost turned around to try to save him, but reminded myself of the respawn system that was set up, waiting for him. Searching the battlefield, I attempted to find the metal Sniper that shot our Engineer, but before I could find him, a bullet entered my chest, thrusting me back against the wall. Slowly I slid down, my body becoming limp…

I awakened in our respawn room, seeing the BLU Heavy run out of the garage door. Shivering slightly from the after effects of respawn, I rushed over to the ammunition cabinet, and reloaded my weapons. The robots' numbers were starting to diminish, however, they were moving closer to the base by the minute. Exiting the respawn, I rushed upstairs to find a good spot to continue sniping from.

I noticed a large, spiked ball with legs running full speed past our men, not even bothering to pay attention to them. The Engineer's sentries were firing at full speed, never receiving a break. The large ball ran up to the Engineers, making a strange beeping noise.

"RUN!" I called down to the men, but I don't think they heard me because they continue to smack their wrenches against the turrets. Pulling out my SMG, I fired at the ball as its body began to spin around quickly, the beeping increasing its rate before exploding entirely! Not only was our sentries taken out, but our Engineers were sent back to the respawn.

"Shit!" I cried out, seeing the BLU Sniper injured against a wall. A robotic Scout was beating him to death with his bat...that is until I killed it. It was too late though, for the Sniper's body was beginning to fade away as he was sent back to respawn as well.

I continued firing for what felt like days, but was really only hours. My arms were numb from the recoil of my weapon, and my body ached from the amount of times I had to respawn. I was running dangerously low on ammo, and I wasn't too sure how much longer I would be able to last. I saw large, monster version of the Soldier stomp its way to our base, carrying a strange-looking bomb upon its back.

"Zere going to blow up ze place, ve must hurry!" One of the Medics shouted. The army of robots had declined to a small group of maybe twenty. I tried shooting the massive Soldier in the head, but the bullet didn't seem to do much damage.

Several robots had already infiltrated our base, but we soon killed them before they could cause anymore trouble. Our Heavies were mowing down the leftover machines with ease, bringing relief when we all saw that the only robot left was the over-grown Soldier, but as soon as the relaxing thought crossed our minds, the robot fired its massive rocket launcher, killing everyone near the premises. The Soldier was entering the base with the bomb!

"Hurry!" I could hear the Scout say. Pulling out my SMG again, I jumped out of the window, grunting as my feet absorbed the hard-impact of a two-story fall. I fired my gun non-stop, praying that the monstrous machine would just go down. Everyone was now beginning to focus their attention on the robot as they came out of respawn, slowing the Soldier down. It pushed on, though, moving closer and closer to its target.

It was mere feet away when its body began to shut down, dropping the bomb next to our respawn instead of the center of the base, which was the main point. Along with the bomb, the robotic Soldier exploded, destroying the surrounding area around them.

Shielding my eyes from the bright light, I searched the ground to check up on my friends. Everyone was ok, but several of the mercenaries were injured greatly. A massive crater replaced the garage building of our respawn center. Trudging forward, I ran to the first mercenary in sight, which was the BLU Pyro.

"Hold on, buddy, Medic is coming…" I said. "MEDIC!" Shrugging off my vest, I applied pressure to the massive wound on the Pyro's leg.

The RED Medic appeared suddenly, flipping on his Medigun as he slowly healed the Pyro's damaged body. I could feel the warmth of the Medigun's rays on my arms as I pushed down on the pyromaniac's leg. It felt surprisingly comfortable as it ran through my body, healing me of any unknown injuries.

"Thanks, Doc…" I said. Lifting my bloodied vest off the Pyro's leg, I helped him off the ground, patting his back as he suddenly embraced me with a tight hug. When everyone was healed, we all shifted over to the respawn room, gasping in surprise at the crater that occupied the spot where the building once was.

"Ve are lucky zat no one died…" The BLU Medic said. He was right...if someone was killed after the explosion, they possibly would not have respawned…

"We'll head down to check the systems... While we're takin' care of that, y'all go on and take a break." The Engineers informed us, heading inside the base to go take care of the problem. Smiling with relief, I followed after them, pleased to know that we have succeeded in our mission.

* * *

The first thing I did when I got inside was take a _much_ needed shower. Afterwards I headed to the kitchen for some food. I was surprised to find some of the mercenaries playing a game of poker together on the floor, considering that they broke all the furniture in the room. I supposed it took the actual battle to make them realize how important it was for them to work together. I sat down next to the RED Scout, listening to him boast about his accomplishments during the battle. Our Pyro was busy in the kitchen, cooking up a massive pot of spaghetti with the help of the BLU Heavy.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the BLU Spy talking to the Sniper, making my stomach flutter as I thought about what she was probably saying to him. I watched her plant a kiss against his cheek, causing my heart to pound out of jealousy.

"Aye! Are you listening to me?" Scout waved his hand in front of my face, demanding my attention. I apologized and told him I was going to go check on what's happening in the basement. Nodding his head, he turned to the RED Spy, talking his mouth off about how "cool" he was in battle.

Leaving the room, I descended down the stairs toward the main intelligence room. A Southern voice echoed down the hall, talking as if he were speaking to someone on the phone.

"-destroyed… Yeah, that's what I thought… Well, we tried but the building outside was practically vaporized… Another wave?... More robots! But without the… Ok… Ok… Thank you." I walked into the room, curious about what they're talking about.

"What happened?" I asked, feeling anxious when neither of the men could look me in the eye.

"We just got off the phone with Miss Pauling. She said there are more waves headin' our way… and… and we can't fix the respawn system…"

My mind froze in its place.

"You mean..?"

"Yep, it's broken."

* * *

**A.N.: Uh-oh! No more respawn! Next chapter won't include any battles, but a lot of information that will help move the storyline along. Please leave a review! See ya!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A.N.: YAY! One-thousand views! My thanks are directed to you all! I couldn't have done it without your help! Whether you read the first sentence and left afterwards, or read every word of every single chapter in my story! By the way… The craziest thing happened to me! At the golf course today, I was playing horribly, and an old guy named Saxton came up to me, fixed my grip on my club, and told me to try playing like that. When he walked away, I tried out what he said, and for the rest of the day, I was hitting perfect shots… haha and what's even weirder is that I couldn't find him on the course...ANYWHERE after I spoke with him. He looked like an old, professional wrestler with arms the size of my head!**

**The Timmynator: Oooooh! That's a good thought...who knows what the robots are planning? I certainly don't… NAH JK. You're very observant, my friend! Thanks for reviewing.**

**MedicSquid: T.T You make me so happy! I shall shed a tear for you! Ok, think of dead puppies, think of dead puppies… THERE! I did it! :3 Thanks so much for reading my story!**

**Derpyguest: Nice name haha! I normally update everyday, but if the chapter comes a little late (kind of like this one) that is because I was waiting on more reviews :) I promised myself to post as soon as I could with enough that will keep the reader guessing what will happen next!**

**GodzillaKom: I know! I didn't want to do it...but it makes everything more dramatic, don't you think? I'm proud to know that you will be staying for a long time :D it makes me super-duper happy!**

**mick-kun: I'm glad that you like the love triangle I have going on! I'll try to give more details in this chapter. I have a tendency to just want to get straight to the point, and it's a very bad habit :( (I'm working on it though!) I have a story plot graph with individual chapter details written on it. I have this story planned to the very last sentence! Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: Oh no! The men in black suits have returned! They're forcing me to… I do not own TF2.**

* * *

"WHAT!" The base shook as the mercenaries simultaneously shouted.

"Yeah, we don't know how to fix it...we didn't create the respawn system." The BLU Engineer announced. The faces of some of the men were crestfallen as they listened to the news, while several others were looking quite optimistic.

"Team destroyed metal babies, though, so instead of returning to fighting against ozzer team, we wait for tiny men to come and repair machine." RED Heavy voiced out thoughtfully.

"That's the problem," I said from my position against the wall, "more waves of robots are coming this way… Miss Pauling said that we had one day to prepare before Gray Mann's second wave will be ready-"

"She also promised to pay us double the amounts of our original salary, mentionin' somethin' about wantin' us all to stay until they can make a deal with the Mann brother." Our Engineer added in. For many minutes, we all (surprisingly) sat in silence as we thought about what we wanted to do. Even the Scouts were capable of sitting still for at least the first few minutes before their minds forced them to stand up and pace around the room apprehensively. Glancing over to the Sniper, it seemed that he took it upon himself to take care of the BLU Spy, bandaging her forehead right at this moment. I tried not to stare for too long, but I believed the Sniper caught me gazing in their direction. He turned to face me, but before I could catch his smile, I looked away, attempting to divert my attention to a more important matter...the robots.

"I've got nothzin' else to live for...Vhy not take on ze job!" The RED Medic enthusiastically said, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke.

"Heavy has son vaiting for him at home...Heavy is not sure of situation." Our Heavy mumbled out, his deep voice making it difficult to read his emotions.

"You were given a choice, soldier! Either help and fight, or return home to your family!" The BLU Soldier said. I figured he was trying to be sympathetic, but the way how his words came out sounded insulting.

"..." Heavy hesitated before answering, "...Ok, Heavy will help baby team destroy machines." Several cheers erupted from the Scouts, but they soon quieted down when I shot a glare at them.

"Doez everyone here want to stay?" RED Spy asked, blowing out a cloud of smoke from his parted lips. No one answered. "Perhaps I should rephrase ze question: Doez anyone want to leave?"

More silence...

"I believe I speak for everyone when I say this… This is our home now...the one that took care of us when we needed it most... It's time to return the favor." I answered. Heads of several mercenaries bobbed in agreement. I watched as the BLU Demoman thrusted his bottle upwards, its contents spilling on the floor.

"Cheers to that, mate!" He gulped down his alcohol noisily, finishing the bottle off before dropping it on the floor.

"What should we do about the respawn?"

"I think I can help you with that…" Turning our heads to the entrance of the basement, we all smiled at the familiar face who appeared.

"MG! Where have you been all of this time?" I questioned him. He was covered in dirt and oil, which emitted a putrid odor as he walked by me.

"When I heard about the robots from Miss Pauling, I decided to temporarily reside in the sewers to wait for the battling to end. When the coast was clear, I went to go check the main intelligence room for any electrical problems or issues with the plumbing, but when I saw that the respawn was entirely destroyed, I came up to see if anyone was still alive…" He explained. Walking toward the center of the room, he picked up a chair leg with blood splatters decorating the body. He mumbled out something incoherent before tossing the leg carelessly, watching as it collided against a bookshelf near the pool table.

"So what should we do while we are waitin'?" RED Scout asked, running a hand under his cap and headset which revealed his brown, short-cropped hair. MG laughed heartily, and walked over to the twenty-one-year-old boy, slapping his gloved hand against his back.

"Well, son… If you were getting ready to head into battle, knowing that your life is on the line, what would you do the day before?"

"Uh...Call my mom?"

"No! You party...you get _drunk_...live the rest of your sad life as fully as you can!" The MG moved to the Demomen, "Exactly how much scrumpy have you guys hidden from everyone all these years? Pull out your stash of booze and have a party!" Wide smirks spread across their lips as they imagined the insane amount of fun they would have if they brought in the scrumpy. BLU Demo excused himself, saying that he was heading to the BLU base to grab some of his crates.

"Vhat about Maintenance Guy?" The BLU Heavy asked. A grim smile flashed across the repairman's face.

"I'm not the one putting my life in immediate danger...I'll be downstairs working on a makeshift respawn… I've never built one before, but I can sure as hell try!"

And with those words, MG left the cafeteria, returning to the basement to go work on the broken system. His appearance brightened the mood of the situation, everyone chatting easily as they thought of all the stuff they could do. The Soldiers ran over to a large cabinet, pulling out poker chips and cigars. Spreading out the chips, the RED Soldier cackled wickedly, his oversized helmet lifting barely enough to reveal his stormy, gray eyes.

"FREE CANDY ASS WHOOPINGS TO ALL BOYS WHO DARE TO CHALLENGE ME IN A ROUND OF TEXAS HOLD'EM!" Most of the men joined the Soldiers, ready to take them on.

I wasn't much of a social butterfly, so I decided to hold off on the party for now. I made my way over to the basement entrance, preparing to descend down the long staircase when a hand tapped my shoulder. Our Heavy wanted to walk with me, so he followed me downstairs, chatting about what happened the last time he played poker with the mercenaries.

"Why aren't you upstairs?" I looked back at the massive giant as we reached the underground level of the base.

"Heavy needs to make phone call home… Heavy needs to apologize to family for not being there enough, and to say goodbye." I placed my small hand against his shoulder in a friendly manner, offering the Heavy an encouraging smile.

"Don't _ever_ give up before a fight starts. I've had to learn that the hard way... but right now, you just need to worry about making sure the phone lines are still intact! 'It's never over until it's over'… That's what my dad used to say." I said, my brain drifting down a path that would lead me to my thoughts and regrets of the past.

"I see… Thank you…" With those words said, Heavy turned down a hall to our left, most likely where the telephones were located. Continuing down the long hall, I entered the intelligence room, finding MG studying several blueprints. He acknowledged my presence with a wave of the hand, but never turned to look at me fully.

"What's up?" He asked, pulling out a pencil from his chest pocket to write something down.

"How long will it take to get the system going again?" I asked.

"...Honestly? If I can find the right tools...the minimum amount of days should be…three? Maybe four?" He said without looking up from the papers. I nodded my head, standing around feeling out-of-place as MG whistled a song.

I wanted to ask him another question, but would he judge me? How would he react when I tell him about my past? He seemed like a nice guy...perhaps near Sniper's age, so maybe he had experience with romantic relationships?

"You must be wanting to ask me something else if you're still standing there." He called out, finally turning around to look at me. "You've changed from when I first met you… You seem more… alive."

"I would like to ask for your advice, but I first need you to promise me that you will listen to my entire story before saying anything...deal?" An astounded look crossed his round face as I spoke. A smile formed on his lips when he answered.

"Sure."

* * *

For the next hour, I talked about my experiences here working for Team Fortress Industries, leaving out several minor details that I thought were too embarrassing to voice out loud. I confessed to him my feelings for the Sniper, and told him about the threat the BLU Spy posed to me. The repairman listened intently, absorbing all the information I displayed, not even flinching when I told him about the murder of Olivia Mundy.

"I don't know what else to do…"

"I suggest that you go and talk to him before the Spy does-"

"But what if he gets mad and refuses to talk to me anymore?!"

"...Then that's just something you will have to deal with...if you really like him, maybe even love him, you will be strong enough to receive the punishment...and maybe one day...he'll forgive you." I sighed deeply. I knew he was right, but I'd spent all my years of regret in hiding because of this. The main reason I came here was because I wanted to escape the reality of the situation, but instead of that, I did the complete opposite by meeting _him_.

I stood from my spot on the floor, heading to the entrance of the room.

"Thank you." MG nodded his head.

I returned upstairs, receiving offers for a beer or bottle of scrumpy. Alcohol never tasted good in my mouth, but for once, I accepted a little sip from the Engineer's glass. My face twisted into a look of disgust, the men around me laughing as I shook my head repeatedly. With a wave good-bye to the mercenaries, I took a deep breath and looked over at the Sniper, still in the same spot from before.

He was sitting next to the BLU Spy on the old sofa, chatting and drinking a beer which he sat next to his feet on the floor. My nose wrinkled in a feeling of revulsion when I noticed how close the Spy was sitting to him, their hips glued together.

As I stared at them, I began to doubt myself… Was he lying about what he said in the Sniper's Nest? It could have been a "heat of the moment" action… A girl bawling her eyes out in his arms, what else could he do? He'd known the Spy for a longer time than he had known me, as well...not to mention she's beautiful… How could I compete with that?

Sucking in a breath, I moved toward them.

"May I please talk to you..?" I asked him. When he didn't move, I then added, "In private?"

A devilish smirk fell upon the Spy's lips as I spoke, reminding me of a Christmas movie about the Grinch I used to watch when I was younger. She probably thought I was going to break our deal...which I was, but not the way how she expected it.

"Sure, mate." He said simply, standing up from his seat. He followed me outside to the front porch, taking a seat on the steps just outside the door. I could smell the alcohol on him with a tinge of cigarette smoke lingering behind.

"What is it you needed to tell me?" He said, recalling our conversation from before. He brought the rim of his bottle up to his lips, drinking the substance inside before offering some to me.

"I'm not much of a drinker…" I declined, turning my head away slightly. I could feel his intense gaze against the back of my head, waiting for what I had to say.

"Sniper...I-"

"Mundy." He cut me off.

"...What?"

"Don't call me 'Sniper', my name is Robert Mundy." I didn't turn around to face him when he spoke.

"...Why would you tell me your name? You know that it goes against the contract that we signed, right?"

"Yes Oi do...but…" He paused to take another sip of his drink. I could hear the sound of sliding on the wooden porch, and hot breath was brushing against my neck, sending chills down my spine. "if Oi die tomorrow… Oi want to make sure at least one person in this bloody dump knows my name, and if Oi had to pick someone...it would be you."

In that moment, my heart was broken. This man was probably drunk. No wonder he was so talkative. Turning my head, I flinched back slightly when I saw his angular face inches away from mine. Yeah, he's definitely drunk!

"Sni-Mundy… Please don't." I said, slowly moving away from his flushed face. He took off his hat, revealing his neatly combed hair. Placing it behind his body, he draped his arm around my shoulder, a lustful smile decorating his lips.

"Don't worry, love… Oi'll be gentle." He leaned forward.

"You're drunk! You don't know what you're talking about!" I said quickly, my back colliding with a wooden pole. His long arms fell from my shoulders, placing themselves on either side of my body. His half-lidded eyes were dulled with want, and his parted lips looked so tempting. I didn't know if I could resist…

"The fuck! Get off o' her, you nasty-ass jarate man!" A voice cried out before our lips could touch. Seconds later, Mundy was laying on the ground, grunting in pain as his back came in contact with the sand. I looked up at my "savior", it was the RED Scout.

"Scout! What are you doing!" I yelped, jumping off the front porch, not bothering with the steps. Crouching down, I placed my small hands against the assassin's cheeks, patting them lightly.

"Bloody hell, you're gonna pay for that, ya twitchy hooligan!" Mundy shoved me out-of-the-way, staggering about after he stood. Pulling up his fists, he waved the Scout towards him.

"He was gonna rape you! I just saved your ass, so why can't you just be happy, and tell me how awesome I am." The Scout wobbled down the steps, his gaze directed at me. His hat and headset were missing from his head, and his shirt was covered in chocolate stains.

"You didn't have to kick him!"

"OOF!" The angry Sniper drove his fist deep into the Scout's abdomen, twisting his knuckles for effect. Staggering backwards, the Scout retaliated with a kick to Mundy's face, laughing when blood ran out of the corner of his mouth.

"Let's have a go at it, little boy!"

"Bring it, old man!"

The two tackled one another, rolling around on the ground. Fists were flying, shirts were being pulled, and blood was gushing out of noses. The Scout eventually took control, sitting on top of Mundy, and pinning his arms by his sides with his legs, knuckles colliding with the Sniper's face.

"Fuck! Oi wasn't…bloody...rapin' 'er!" The Sniper cried out, squirming underneath the Scout. "She wanted me...to kiss 'er!" Scout hesitated for a second.

"What? Why the hell would she want a BLU?"

"Because we're friends! I've been hanging out with him for a while, now get off!" I couldn't stand being on the sidelines anymore. I ran over and grabbed one of the Scout's arms, but he didn't stop his assault against the Sniper's broken face.

"Friends?" He hissed out, "is that where you've been going the past week? To see him?!"

"You knew?"

"My room is right next to yours! You think I'm dumb?!"

"Well, I-"

"Don't answer, that was a rhetorical question! You betrayed the RED team by sleeping with enemy! And it was _even_ the Bushman for God's sake!" He wiped his bloody knuckles against his shirt, but never released Mundy. I shoved the RED roughly, crying out in pain when a fist connected with my jaw. Falling backwards, I scooted away and cupped my chin in discomfort.

After I freed the Sniper, he blindly swung his fist, but instead of striking the Scout, he hit me. The Sniper tackled the drunken Scout, returning the favor by beating his face in. I sat in my spot on the ground, stunned by the feeling of getting socked in the face. Last time I was punched in the face was two years ago when an old boss of mine wasn't pleased with my work.

After several more kicks and slaps, the mercenaries who were inside having a good time took notice of the fight that broke out. Everyone filed outside, cursing in surprise when they saw the Scout's bloody hands choking Mundy. The BLU Soldier and RED Heavy pulled the two men apart. The Sniper finally calmed down, but Scout wasn't anywhere _near_ being done with me.

"Fucking, bitch! You are a disgrace to REDs! I thought you were a cool chick, but in reality, you are a traitor!" I stood from my sitting position, accepting every word and insult the Scout yelled out. It may had sounded cruel, but when I thought about it, it was the truth. The Scout was pulled into the RED base by Heavy, still struggling to break free from his monstrous grip.

All heads turned to me, waiting for an answer to the nonsense Scout was spouting. Shaking my head, I did the one thing I absolutely despised when others did it.

I ran away. I bumped shoulders with the BLU Spy, not bothering to look in her eyes because I knew what would be coming next. I ran to the Nest, deciding to spend the rest of what could be my last night alive alone. Voices called after me, but no one followed, most likely deciding to let me cool off by myself.

I was a hypocrite, saying that I hated it when other people ran away from their problems. I'd been running for my entire life, whether it be from my family, from my mistakes, or from the people I love.

I climbed into the large box tower, heading straight for the window. I sat on the ledge, dangling my feet over top. I did what I normally do when I feel sad, and that was think. I thought about my family, I wonder if they even cared about where I was at right now. I thought about the robots and Gray Mann, they were probably celebrating a victory, although we are still standing. I thought about Sniper, and how drunk he was at the moment. He most likely was acting upon the influence of alcohol, and won't remember what happened by morning.

I then thought about my team, and how they would react to the news of my secret meetings with the BLU Sniper. Most likely, they would consider me a traitor, and shun me from the group.

I stared deeply into the black abyss of the night sky, and then lowered my eyes to the ground. I smiled lightly to myself, enjoying the soft breeze as the wind blew by. I wouldn't mind falling off the ledge, I could pretend I was taking flight, and imagine an angel to come down and swoop me up in its arms, taking me away to Heaven.

Or a hole could open up in the earth and take me to Hell…

Either one would be fine with me, but…

This emotion I feel.

It's the same one I had felt when I first fired the pistol at my kidnapper...

The same one I felt when I killed Olivia Mundy…

It was _guilt_.

I pulled my legs back inside the window, a tiny shred of my humanity presenting itself.

I'd been shattered, abused, insulted, mistreated, and damaged beyond repair, yet I felt _guilt_.

_"What's the whole world worth when you got no one to show it to?"_

"Oh… I get it now…"

* * *

**A.N.: Sorry about getting this out a little late! I should have posted it last night, but I was busy… I know excuses, excuses… I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be huge!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A.N.: I would like to give special thanks to one of my readers, Bronzonglover52! He has given me the idea to give the mercenaries an advantage over the robots with their weapons. All credit goes to him for creating the idea! If you all have any ideas for my story, leave a review and I will consider your suggestion!**

**Derpyguest: I'm glad that you liked it! Hopefully this next chapter will be even better than the last :3**

**Typ: I understand how you feel… my emotions are always on this crazy roller coaster ride! For example, I nearly cried in front of my mom when I read your comment. She was like "What's wrong, Kenzie?" and I was all like "*sniff* I'm just so HAPPY!" It is reviews like yours that keep pushing me forward to write the next chapter. :D Thanks so much!**

**Meine-Blumen (aka Flowers): Thanks for the pat on the back! I'm glad that the RED team approves of my work :)! Your assumption of me being a female is correct, I am a sixteen-year-old junior in high school. I may have a fluffy chapter coming up, but this chapter I promise to bring you more Medic!**

**GodzillaKom: The party is over this chapter, no more drinking, I promise :). I'm so excited that you really enjoyed my last chapter! I was afraid it wouldn't make sense! You are amazing, mon ami! :3**

**MedicSquid: My good fellow writer… I understand where you are coming from with the OOCness, but all of that will be explained this chapter, I promise 100%! I hope you will enjoy this chapter! **

**TF2Girl: Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read it! I hope you will continue to enjoy my story as we move into the climax. :3**

**The Timmynator: LOL Your comment was hilarious! But this guy had dark hair with strands of gray on top, and he seemed as if he was fifty-five and not seventy :D, but I won't ruin the moment... Saxton Hale has come to bless me! :O**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TF2...but I wouldn't mind owning the Sniper, if you know what I mean ;D. Haha! Even though he is most likely more than twice my age and he is from a video game… who cares! Onward with the chapter!**

* * *

My spirits were lifted after my thinking session.

_I should do those more often._ I thought sarcastically, climbing down the ladder carefully. When I reached the bottom, I run back to the RED base, going through my list of screw-ups that I desperately needed to fix. First, I needed to have a little chat with my team. It was my responsibility to fix what I had done wrong...well, if that's even possible. Afterwards, I needed to clear things up with the Scout… I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to do that, but the mercenary was too much of a goofball to hold a grudge. Finally, I _needed_ to get to Mundy before the BLU Spy. I'd been putting this off for way too long…

I noticed someone sitting on the front porch of the base, slouching in their seat. Their bandaged hands shielded their face from the outside world, making me smile gently. Climbing up the steps, I sat next to the RED Scout, watching him as he peeked through his fingers before returning to his darkened world. Moments of silence passed… I was quite surprised to see that the Scout wasn't marching around, swearing his head off like a sailor. It was like he was an entirely different person...thinking before taking action for once.

"...I'm sorry." He muttered into his palms. "I said some pretteh hurtful things back there…"

"Yeah...you did...but we both know they were all true..." I folded my hands in my lap, twiddling my thumbs as I tried to search for the right words to use.

"Yer snipin' buddy told me all about what happened afta I calmed down. How ya guys would hang out all aftanoon and chat...he then left with that slutty Spy, sayin' somethin' about havin' a chat, I think?" My eyes widened at this new information. It was too late… "Why? Why did ya do it, Snipah? Were ya not happy with us?" Although Mundy may be lost, I still had a chance to mend my relationship with Scout.

"No, it was nothing like that… I-"

"Then why did you do it then?" He asked, his head flying up to reveal wet eyes and red cheeks. I stared at his once young and handsome face, wanting to cry as his serious visage never faltered. In one night, he seemed to have matured immensely due to the reality of our situation. I missed his young and cheerful face, already. I even missed his obnoxious laugh! There was a really good chance that he wouldn't make it tomorrow, considering his line of work involved being on the front lines. At that moment, I made a promise to myself.

I would dedicate my life to the Scout tomorrow, protecting him at all costs.

"I did it because I needed to." I answered his question. A thoughtful look crossed his face as he pondered over my words. For clarification, I continued, "The very first battle we had this work year, the one that we lost, he saved my life… If your sworn enemy was to protect you from his teammates, wouldn't you be curious about why he did that?"

"I get what you're sayin', but I still don't trust ya…" The Scout said, crossing his arms in a defiant way.

"I understand that there can be no redemption for someone who has sinned as much as I, but I just want you to know, that no matter what...I will always be there for you." I stood from my seat, stretching my arms into the air. One out of the three has been completed…

"Don't worry about the fellas inside…they were actually the ones who forced me to sit out here and wait for ya."He said as if he could read my thoughts. The Scout stood from his sitting position and moved past me, saying something about going to bed. I entered my home feeling better about myself, knowing that the Scout somewhat accepted me after I practically thrown him under the bus. I made my way to the cafeteria, where the rest of the mercenaries were most likely staying at.

My prediction was correct. Although the Sniper and Scout were missing, nearly everyone else was present in the room. The Pyros were the first to acknowledge my presence; they both abandoned the TV to come over and squeeze me in a bear hug. The two chattered loudly in my ears, but I didn't complain. I was delighted to know that they didn't resent me for my mistakes.

"How is your head, Fräulein? Vould you like me to grab ze Medigun?" The RED Medic came forward. After receiving my permission, he examined my jaw tenderly. The Sniper's punch was strong...strong enough to make my chin painful to touch. It hurt to talk a little as well, but other than that, I would be fine.

"No thanks, but an ice-pack would be nice." I said, watching as he left for the kitchen. Several seconds later, he returned with a cloth and bag of cold water, saying something about the freezer losing power.

"Thanks, doc…Uh-I would like to express my s-sincere apologies." I stuttered out when I tried to raise my voice. Public-speaking was never my strong suit, but I had to get my point across to these men.

"You have nothzing to vorry about, my dear. Ve understand…" The BLU Medic called from inside the kitchen.

"The Sniper explained everithin' to us, lass. He told us all aboot it all, an' was tryin' to get it through me brain that it had nothin' to do with ye." RED Demoman said from the lounge chair, not drinking a bottle of scrumpy for once.

"Well, that's not the truth… I was being greedy, and if this makes any sense, I didn't mean to do it... but I ended up doing it again anyway…"

"As a soldier, not only did you perform an act of treason, but also committed the worse crime in the world, no matter what third world country you live in… But as a person," Soldier walked over to me, clicked his heels together, and brought his hand up in a salute, "I must respect the amount of guts it took to come back in here and apologize!" I smiled warmly at the patriotic man, saluting him with poise.

"Thanks, Soldier…That means a lot coming from you...no matter how racist it sounded." Chuckles reverberated around the room.

The night was moving along quicker than I hoped, the hour hand just reaching past the one. I chatted with several of the mercenaries, most of them being from the BLU team. I learned that the BLU Medic used to know our doctor when they still had their medical licenses in Germany. I also discovered that the BLU Scout was from New Jersey, born and raised in a town that my family and I used to vacation at because of my dad's job.

We all seemed connected in some way, but unfortunately we all needed to get to bed. One of the Soldier's promised to keep lookout, and said he would switch out with whoever wanted to takeover. As everyone exited the room, I stayed behind with the BLU Spy, who seemed to be staring off into space. She appeared to be angry about something, not even bothering to throw an insult at me.

"I'm not here to chastise you, for I'm sure you already told him about who I am…" I said. Her bright blue eyes moved towards my face, masked in an emotion that was difficult to name, "but… I will say that nobody's perfect, no matter how hard we try." She sneered in disgust as I said those words, standing up gracefully from the couch. Without a word, she left out the front door to head back to her base.

I smirked as she glided out of the room, glad to know that I could drive her just as crazy as she does me. I headed to my room, taking off my boots and socks along the way. I kept my uniform on, knowing that if we were called to wake up early, I'll be ready. Unlocking my door, I stepped inside and locked it, remembering what happened with the Spy a little while ago. I plopped face-first onto the bed, listening as the old springs squeaked uncomfortably.

This may be the last time I get to sleep in a bed. Pictures of MG flashed through my mind as I turned onto my side, wondering if we will all be dead before he can complete the respawn system.

_Please…_ I shut my eyes tightly, hoping to escape from this horrible truth.

For the first time in five years, I don't dream about the death of Mundy's mother…

but of me watching the robots brutally murder the Scout and Sniper while I sit there and watch, being incapable of doing anything.

* * *

"Get up, mon cher...Ze Engineer wantz us all in ze recreation room." I heard the Spy's thick, French accent speak through my door. I bolted out of my bed, scanning the room for a clock, but end up disappointed. I yanked on my socks and shoes, not caring if my blond hair looked like Archimedes built a nest in it.

_Were the robots here?_ I ran down the hallway, stopping by the battlements room to grab my Springfield and other weapons. I noticed nearly everyone had left their gear in here as I glanced in the lockers, confusion spreading through me. Making my way down the hall, I adjusted my scope and reloaded my SMG, preparing for battle. Now that I think about, the Spy's voice did not sound urgent at all...

"OH MY GOD!"

"Oh me mother..."

"Holy Dooley!"

I stumbled into the room, pointing my SMG in every direction, but I didn't fire. The mercenaries were all crouching down, shouting complaints as I lowered my gun.

"HEY, watch where yer pointin' that thing!" The BLU Scout yelled out from behind the BLU Engineer. A large blush crept forward on my cheeks as I laid my weapons against the wall. The mercenaries all returned their attention to something on the floor.

"What's going on?" I asked the RED Medic. Everyone was surrounding several boxes, cheering and laughing as they dug through them. I took this time to fix my hair, braiding it down my back as the Medic spoke.

"Vell, after ve healed everyone," The doctor motioned to the BLU Medic who was hovering over the boxes, "ze Engineer brought out boxes zat Miss Pauling zent to us in ze middle of ze night. Ze dumkopff who vas left to vatch for ze robots fell asleep vhile on duty, zo he never saw it coming in." Medic seemed really crabby this morning, but I was sure that was how everyone felt. The expected arrival time of the machines was today...

"Hey! Check this out!" The RED Scout called. Carrying a red bat, he ran forward and jumped, his body floating in the air for longer than usual, but when he landed, he grunted out in pain. "Holy shit! What is this?"

"That, my boy, is an Atomizer bat." Our Engie said, taking the bat out of the Scout's hands, "Miss Pauling an' I have been workin' on some new equipment before the Gray Mann situation for ya'll. The Atomizer will allow you to jump higher, and increase yer dodging skills, but every time you jump, it will weaken yer body so be careful usin' it."

"Yeh, Yeh, Hardhat, now hand it over!" I was glad to see the Scout laughing while he messed around with his new equipment. With the Atomizer, he will be better protected from the dangers that are soon to come.

"What is _zis_?" The BLU Spy asked, a hint of repugnance in her tone. Pulling out what looked like a sapper, she poked the glass in the center of the contraption.

"Aye! Don't poke my eye, that 'urts you know! This actually reminds me of this one time back at the old factory when this old lady-" The sapper continued to chatter on, amazing us all at the amount of words he could produce in a minute.

"That is Wheatley, the Ap-Sap."

"Ello! My name is Wheatley, 'ow are you today?"

I laughed loudly as the Spy talked to sapper, trying to get the thing to shut up. Wheatley, according to the Engineer, was a defective sapper that was given the ability to talk. He was quite inexperienced, but he knew how to get the job done.

It was like Christmas morning as everyone pulled out their new weapons, confidence being placed as Engineer explained the pros and cons to each weapon. After the mercenaries were done collecting their weapons, I walked to a box that had 'Sniper' labeled on the side. Pulling out a dart gun, I examined the barrel of the weapon, reading 'Sydney Sleeper'. I ran my fingers over the body, smiling at how smoothly polished it was. I searched the room for my BLU opposite, but didn't see him anywhere. I knew that I heard him earlier...who else would shout "Holy Dooley!" other than my Australian friend.

"Sydney Sleeper- originally, it was supposed to cover your enemy in jarate, but I made a few adjustments..." The Engineer said, walking in from behind me.

"What kind of adjustments?" I asked. I knew what jarate was...karate in a jar is what Mundy said. I remembered the time when he told me about it, he assumed I would ignore him because of it, but honestly, I thought it was a good idea...hilarious, really!

"The dart will send an electrical charge through the robots, so you don't have to worry about headshots." Engineer grabbed my gun, removing the dart and asking me to hold out my hand. Taking my index finger, he pricked it with the dart, drawing blood and shocking me. I grinned at how amazingly helpful this gun will be while I'm out on the battlefield. Thanking the Engineer, I stood from my crouched position and collected my things. I was planning on taking them to the battlements room.

"Hey, Engie, before I go, have you seen Mun-Sniper anywhere?"

"Yeah, he came in, grabbed his things. Then he left sayin' that he was goin' to the battlements room." Before he could finish his sentence, I called out another thank you and ran back to the battlements. How could I not have seen him leave?

Most likely, he was probably ignoring me...which is the one thing I didn't want him to do. I could handle him yelling at me, or hitting me. Hell, I would had been fine with him sticking a bullet in the back of my head for what I'd done...but I could _not_ stand the silent treatment...

Slowly opening the door, I immediately spot him sitting on a bench against the far wall, cleaning his bushwacka with a white cloth. His face was shielded with his aviators, although the room was dimly lit, and his mouth was turned into a slight frown as he glanced up at me.

"Did Oi do that to ya?" He muttered out, looking back down to his knife. I paused for a second, confused about what he was talking about.

Oh...he was referring to my jaw...but I wasn't here to talk about me.

"I'm sorry."

"..."

I stand glued to my spot as the Sniper continued to rub the cloth over the same spot on his blade as if he were in a trance. I waited for him to say something..._anything_.

"Last night, someone told me somethin' interestin'..." He said, pausing before continuing on, "but the bloody spook kept on feedin' meh drinks like Oi was a bloody horse, so Oi wanna 'ear it from ya instead." He placed his blade against the bench, standing up to his full height.

"Whot is your name?" He asked, waiting patiently for me to answer. Tears fell down my cheeks as I hiccupped in the silent room, feeling pathetic as he looked down upon me. "I won't ask ya again, sheila."

"...Avery Williams." I said, squeezing my eyes shut. I could hear his breath hitch in his throat when he realized that _for all this time_, he was dealing with his mother's killer.

"...Get out." Was all he said afterwards, turning away from me. I hesitantly stepped forward, my arms reaching out to touch him, but I soon opted against that idea.

"You have no idea how-"

"Just _get out_, before Oi do something we are both gonna regret._" _His voice shook as he spoke. Quickly, I ran out of the room, not bothering to look back. I could hear the sound of things falling off shelves, and a loud _bang!_ as I ran out with my weapons. Rubbing my eyes against the sleeves of my shirt, I clumsily made my way downstairs to the basement, knowing that the one person who I could trust would be down there. I sped-walked to the intelligence room, flinging open the door with so much force I nearly ripped it off its hinges.

MG was standing by a small teleporter-like machine, a surprised look on his face. When he saw my puffy, brown eyes, he opened his arms up, knowing exactly why I came for a visit. I dropped my gear on the floor and rushed over to his arms, hands plastered against my face.

"Shhh, shhhhh, it's going to be ok..." He muttered. We both sank to the floor as my legs collapsed underneath me, unable to hold me up no longer.

For five years, I had shoved my feelings into the back of my mind, refusing to face the facts of my life...and finally, all at once...

I just let it _all_ out.

"He hates me! He-_hic_-_hates_ me!" I screamed into MG's dirty shirt. I could feel his gloved hands patting my back gently, just listening to what I had to say. "I _shot_ his mother, sent his-_hic_-father to a _mental-hospital_, and basically _lied_ to him the entire time I've known him!"

"Now, you know that isn't true! The moment you learned who he was, you were going to tell him what you did. Sometimes, life just doesn't want to work out the way you want it to."

"Life has _never_ worked out for me..."

"Well, if you think so negatively like that, of course it's going to seem that way!"

We sat and bickered back and forth until I eventually calmed down. I felt like I was hit by a train...

"There calling for you upstairs...you need to get going. They need you, Avery." He said, lifting me up off the ground.

"I don't know if I can do it..." I cried out, my hands clutching at my weapons. My legs shook as I stood in the doorway of the room, watching as MG returned to the respawn machine. Looking towards me, he grinned widely.

"If you can survive what you've already been through, girl, then you can do anything! If you can believe in yourself, and what you're doing, you're already halfway there." He looked back to his machine, grabbing a screwdriver. I ran out of the room.

I wanted to believe his words. I wanted Mundy to accept my apology. And I sure as _hell_ wanted to survive.

But...

I _needed_ to help my teammates.

The robots are on their way.

When I got upstairs, the Soldier grabbed my shoulders and pushed me outside roughly. I could hear Wheatley having a mental breakdown as the Spy tried calm him. Sniper was standing about five feet away from me, not bothering to look at me when I whispered out seven words.

"I think I'm in love with you." I had to say that...no matter how angry he was at me. We were all probably going to die anyway...

The corner of his mouth twitched down in a sad frown.

I don't think he heard me.

"Any complaints, lady?" His voice rang through my ears.

Everyone ran forward with their new weapons, screaming out their regrets as they moved. Pulling my scope up to my eyes, I immediately take out an Engineer bot.

"Yes, sir...I was wondering if we could travel back in time to the very first day I came here..."

* * *

**A.N.: I feel like this wasn't one of my best chapters... Hmm, tell me what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A.N.: Hopefully, this chapter will be better than the last! **

**GodzillaKom: I'm so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter! I thought about extending it, but then it would be a suuuuuper long chapter (for me) :D Thank you for reviewing...again!**

**DerpyGuest: I kind of used the last chapter as a resolving moment for our Sniper, cause I didn't want her going into battle with everyone hating on her. I apologize if it wasn't _the_ greatest chapter, but I'm glad that you liked it! Thanks!**

**MedicSquid: Holy shit! Check your PM, thanks for informing me of my unforgivable mistake.**

**Typ: Poor kitty-kat! I feel bad for your cat because this next chapter made me sad...and I wrote it! I'm excited to know that you are spreading the word of my story (tell your brother I said hi). This may sound weird, but I think I'm in love with you… It's comments like yours that make me soooo happy!**

**Guest: Hello my European friend! I am pleased that you are enjoying my story! Your review is greatly appreciated :D **

**Bronzonglover52: Thanks for the idea, partner! And yes, she does know about, that's why she thought it was hilarious! haha!**

**Disclaimer: What if I came up with a rhyme for a disclaimer? I don't own TF2, I cannot make a claim, I wish I did though, because I'm really lame?**

* * *

The battle was going well so far.

Maybe because the Soldiers were working together for once, or maybe it was because of the new weapons the Engineer gave us.

It was probably both.

I ducked my head just in time to miss a flying, stray bullet from a robotic Heavy's gun. If the respawn was still up, I wouldn't make such a big deal about it, but since it wasn't, I took this moment to fire out every cuss word that I knew.

Several deep breaths later, I peeked my head over the railing I was hiding behind. I searched the battlefield with my scope, looking for the RED Scout.

"Thank God…" I mumbled out when I see him and the BLU Medic resting over at the side. We'd been fighting off the robots for about an hour and a half now, and it was _exhausting_ to say the least. Thankfully, the worst injury we've had was the RED Engineer getting blasted halfway across the battlefield by a "sentry buster". One of the Medic's were able to get to him before he could bleed out through the massive hole in his stomach. It was beyond scary to watch, but he was back out on the field in no time, using his new "Wrangler" to direct his sentry's bullets wherever he wanted them to go.

I take out several Snipers, seeing as they were the most threatening to my teammates. If you stop moving for at least five seconds, you know you're a goner. Earlier, I was busy reloading and not paying attention to what I was doing when a Sniper got me in the shoulder. I fell over the railing, breaking my femur bone when I landed awkwardly on a rock. Throwing my hands over my mouth, I screeched in agonizing pain, watching as the BLU Sniper nearly left his post to come after me, but he thought better of it. I was glad that he didn't come over, because when you reveal your position as a Sniper, _everyone_ comes after you. The Medic came over, set my bone in the right position, then healed me. With a pat on the back, he was gone.

A smirk crept upon my features when I saw a Soldier rocket jump on top of a robotic Engineer, flattening it to a sheet of metal. With the new "Black Box" rocket launchers they received from Miss Pauling and Engie, the Soldiers were able to survive the fall damage from how high they were flying through the air.

I watched the Demomen through my scope. They were easy to pick out of the large crowd because of their "Bootlegger" outfits they received from the Engineer. The RED Demoman was setting up some sticky bombs when I saw a Spy materialize behind him. Before he could be stabbed, I shot the Spy with my dart gun. The Demo turned around in surprise, watching the Spy twitch spastically before coming to a complete stop. Demo turned to me saluting me with a wicked smile on his face, but that changed completely when his head exploded, a red mist squirting out from where his head once was.

"OH MY GOD!" I watched as his body collapsed in a crumpled heap, his pirate hat landing in a pool of blood. I frantically searched the back lines, looking for the Sniper that ended his life with anger, but it was nowhere to be found! This freaked me out to the extreme. I don't think I'll ever be able to get that image out of my head… In a matter of seconds, our drunken, Scottish cyclops was dead.

Our Medic was running after the Demoman, screaming in German as he tried to heal him with his Medigun. The doctor seemed to be having a breakdown as he clutched his head in his gloved hands. He was probably beating himself up over not taking care of the Scotsman.

"GET AWAY FROM THERE!" I shouted with all my might. I glanced around the line of robots, desperately searching for the Sniper.

_There it is!_ It was a female model, the shortest out of the entire group, she was aiming her Springfield at the Medic. I fired.

I watched as she fell, making me flinch at the thought of killing something that looked just like me.

"MEDIC!" Our Heavy's voice cried out, he was firing rapidly at the robots, an angry look plastered across his face. I shifted my scope to the dead body of the RED Medic… I was too late.

"Fuck...Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I slammed my fist against the floor, tears flooding in my eyes. "C'mon Avery, your teammates need you." I encouraged myself. I glanced over at Mundy...he looked just as horrified as I was, but he soon reverted back to his original emotionless façade, reloading and firing his gun like a madman.

I took down several Scouts and Soldiers, switching my post multiple times when a robot caught sight of me. With one less Medic, the BLU doctor looked flustered as he tried to heal as many men as possible. I noticed a BLU Pyro was laying in the middle of it all, a deep gash on the back of his suit. I was tempted to go and help him, but then decided against it. I decided to protect him from enemies that attempted to ambush him as he tried to get up.

Meanwhile, I saw the RED Spy run up the steps, passing me with nothing but a glance. He ran over to the other Sniper, saying something that I couldn't hear from my place. Nodding his head, Mundy stood from his crouched position, following after the Spy. I felt him brush against me lightly. I was kind of hoping that was his way of saying "Be careful, mate", but then again, this is a really narrow hallway.

The Spy and him disappear down the stairs, leaving me alone to focus on protecting the Pyro. When I saw that the numbers of the robots were now beginning to diminish, I take a quick look around the battlefield.

I began to sigh in relief, but stopped when I finished scanning the area.

I couldn't find our Scout.

I returned my scope back to the Pyro, happy to see that the Spy and Mundy were helping him off the battlefield. I searched for several minutes, killing many robots with my Sydney Sleeper while I looked. I eventually found him, hiding behind a wooden crate as several Scout bots passed him.

Suddenly, the air turned cold as a chill ran up my spine. It was familiar feeling, one that was unmistakable. Grabbing my bushwacka from my back, I spun around and swung my weapon wildly, coming in contact with a male, robot Spy. Severing its head, I tossed its limp body over the ledge, before deciding to switch posts.

As I ran down the stairs, I felt a large club beat against the back of my head, knocking me unconscious.

* * *

I awoke with a jerk. It was pitch-black. Drowsy and confused, I forgot for a minute what I'd been doing. Everything flooded back to me in a rush as I thought about the robots outside. Was everyone ok? Was I being held captive? Where are my teammates?

_Demoman and Medic..._

Suddenly, a cloth was pulled away from my face. Squinting into the bright light, I recognized that I was in the old attic at the top of our base. The faint sounds of gunshots and explosions echoed outside. How long had we been fighting?

I tugged at my restraints, pulling roughly, but I eventually had to stop when they began to cut off my circulation. An eerie chuckle floated in the air, making my eyes widen.

"Long time no zee, mon ami." She whispered into my ear. I turned my head sharply, finding a not-so-clean Spy gliding around me. "Doezn't zis just bring back memories?"

Her long curtain of dark hair no longer carried a shine, being singed from a Pyro's flamethrower. Her pale and thin arms were decorated with bruises and third-degree burns, and her eyes looked crazed. I glanced to the far corner of the room, finding the RED Spy with his arms crossed gingerly around his torso. I noticed he was carrying something in one of his hands…

It was my hat!

"What the hell is going on?! We don't have time for this now! If anything you should have kidnapped me _after_ the battle!" I tugged at my wrist restraints once more, crying out in pain as they drove deeper into my skin.

"You bitch, zis is all your fault!" The BLU Spy shouted with anger. My face stung as she smacked me with her white glove. My head drooped downwards, but she grabbed my blond hair and yanked me back up, most likely tearing out several strands. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!

I spat in her face, giving her the meanest look I could muster. Her nostrils flared in anger as she kicked me in the stomach with her heel, knocking my chair backwards. I laid on the floor, squeezing my eyes shut in pain.

"No one will hear you scream, zo don't even zink about it." She yanked my chair up back into its original position. "I don't understand zomething, zo I would like to ask what you zink about it…"

"..."

"Even after I'd made the Bushman drunk, he still wouldn't accept me! I tell him of your 'ideous crimes and he still refuzes my love!" She grabbed at her scalp, eyes crazed with blood lust.

"I think you're a psycho." I said truthfully. The Spy's face grew red with rage as she waved the RED Spy forward. A smirk was plastered upon his face as he grabbed my arm, twisting it in an odd direction. I howled with pain, the feeling of ligaments and bones snapping near my elbow. He dropped my arm, letting it hit against the chair. My face contorted into a look of agony, but I refused to show my tears to these people.

"Don't be afraid to cry, mon cher, I'll be gentle from now on...zat is _if_ you coöperate." The RED Spy said calmly, taking the end of his cigarette and smearing the hot ash against my skin.

"I take back what I said: I think you _both_ are fucking crazy." I hissed out. With a pitiful sigh, the RED Spy pulled out his revolver, and aimed at my stomach. Pulling the trigger, I felt something wet on my clothes as I screamed.

"I have made my decision…" The BLU Spy placed a hand underneath my chin, gently tilting my head upwards. "If I can't have him, _zen_ no one can…" And with those words, she motioned to the Spy, telling him to "get rid of zis trash for me." She left the room without another word, stumbling down the stairs as she walked. Placing a bullet into the chamber, the Spy spun it around before cocking the gun. He pointed it to my head, and simply pulled the trigger.

_Click!_

Nothing came out.

My breathing came out in heavy pants as I licked my lips. I was going to die...not the way how I expected it, but this was really the end of the road, wasn't it?

"Let'z play a game of Russian Roulette…" Raising the gun again, he cocked it and placed it against my temple.

_Click!_

I whimper in fear.

_Click!_

Fifty-percent chance…

_Click!_

"My are you lucky!" He called out, his voice starting to sound far away.

_Click!_

"Good-bye, mon cher…" I was nearly passed out from the blood loss.

_BANG!_

In my final moments of consciousness, I watched the RED Spy collapse from a gunshot wound to the head, the pistol in his hand cocked and ready to fire.

"MEDIC!" I heard someone scream, their arms wrapping around me.

For the first time in five years, I slept without a single a dream.

* * *

**A.N.: Bloodeh Spies! I apologize for all the cussing, but I wanted to make it more dramatic. So many questions! What happened to the mercenaries while Avery was upstairs having a "party"? What happened to the BLU Spy? Who rescued Avery from the clutches of death? Find out next time on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire"... Wait, I said that wrong. "Wherever We Go"!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A.N.: You all are so kind to me, telling me this is the best fanfic you've ever read...psh! I love you all so much! (Yeah! You read that right! I used the "L" word...and it wasn't "like" or "lasagna" either!)**

**MedicSquid: Sexy time coming right up! This chapter may not be what you are looking for, but I promise I'll put in some Snipey love for ya in future chapters, mate!**

**TF2Girl (comment on chapter 10): WAAAHHH! You're pulling at my heartstrings! Thanks to Bronzonglover52, I plan on having Wheatley make another appearance in the future!**

**Derpyguest:THANK YOU! :D**

**GodzillaKom:I love that song! (Mad World). I will have an update on the respawn system this chapter. I'm super-duper glad to know that you really liked my last chapter!**

**Timmynator: Nooooo! Please save me from the clutches of "weapon description"! I will try to avoid that in the future, thank you for the tip! :) Also, for the Bootlegger: My cousin was a pirate for halloween last year, and he had a pegleg that you could slide onto the foot, and I also felt that "Ali Baba's Wee Booties" would be a mouthful to read (do you know what I mean?) Thank you for the review!**

**Typ: You're making me blush! I'm glad your cat is feeling alright, though! Haha, we should talk sometime, do you have a steam account? Maybe we can play some TF2 together if you do :D**

**SilentRanger777: *Salute* Thank you, sir!**

**Bronzonglover52: Demo is my favorite class to listen to! I normally don't as him (I'm a girl, so I gotta stick with Engie or Heavy because my aim SUCKS!) LOL and when I read your comment, I was eating pancakes for breakfast! Puncake!**

**Tf2RedScout: WAAAAAAHHH! You made an account because of my story! I'm not joking when I say this my reader from Holland (I may have stalked your profile a little…): I cried when I read your review...one week ago, when I started writing this, I _never_ thought something like this would ever happen. T.T *sniff***

**mick-kun: Thank you very much!**

**Guest: Thanks! :3**

**TF2Girl: Thank you! Down with Spy! (no offense to Spy lovers)**

**Disclaimer: Buh-buh-buh-buh-buuuuuh-I don't own it! (I also don't own the McDonald's theme song)**

* * *

Cold…Why is it so _cold_?

I was drifting through empty space…time frozen in place.

It was freezing…my body ached immensely.

It was hard to breath, it felt like someone placed a weight against my chest.

Voices…

They whispered gently around me…

Beeping...a heart monitor?

My eyes stung as I tried to open them, a bright light filtering through my eyelids. The metal table I was lying upon was cold to the touch, and just large enough to hold my body. I was dressed in a white hospital gown that was stained with a red, sticky substance. Many tubes were sticking out of my skin, pumping medicine into my bloodstream. Bringing an arm up to my face, I shielded my eyes and lifted my head, searching the clean, white infirmary for someone..._anyone_.

Flashes of the battle flickered in my mind… Where was everyone?

I jolted upwards, shrieking in pain from the wound in my stomach. I shakily tugged at the tubes in my arms, ripping them out forcefully when they wouldn't budge. The sound of a door opening entered my ears. Fearfully, I grabbed a scalpel from the tray sitting next to my metal bed.

"You're awake!" Mundy's voice sounded scratchy as if he were tired. He jogged over to me, but froze halfway when I threateningly pointed the scalpel at him.

"You're not him… You're _not_ him!" I swung the knife to make my point. I couldn't take the chance… "I'm not dumb… You won't trick me again!"

"Oi don't understand, sheila? Oi-"

"Don't "sheila" me! You don't have to keep your disguise up, I know it's you!" Tears flooded my eyes, running down my cheeks steadily as I watched the tall Australian's brows furrow. "If you were really him, you wouldn't be here! The real Mundy wouldn't have given a shit if I died...hell, he would probably be glad if I did!" The Sniper slowly made his way towards me, his hands up in a defensive position. My body ached profusely as I continued to hold up the knife, memories of the RED Spy destroying my right arm making the tears accumulate quicker.

"Don't cry...Oi don't know whot that bloody spook did to you, but Oi promise, he's gone now…" He said, edging closer and closer with each word. "Whot do you want me to do?"

"Prove to me that you really are him!" He paused.

"Um-Oi throw my piss at me enemies?" I scoffed at his answer.

"You're gonna have to do better than that, Spy!" I thrusted the scalpel at him, missing him completely. I grabbed another off the tray.

"Your name is Avery?" He said, ducking and cursing when my knife nearly hit his hat. "Jesus, Oi don't know whot else to say mate!" We watched each other in silence for one minute as I thought about what I wanted him to do. I couldn't give him the knife to swing, or then he may attack me with it...but then again, there are two knives lying behind him that he could use against me...I wasn't about to tell him that, though. I contemplated having him to tell me something personal...something that I knew that the spook didn't.

Oh...I know one.

"Tell me… What is the world worth to you?" A confused look crossed his face before he smiled gently.

"Nothin'...without someone to show it to." My bottom lip quivered when he said those words. Reaching forward slowly, he plucked the scalpel out of my hands, tossing it to the corner of the room. I grabbed at his shoulders, hugging him tightly, not caring if my elbow felt like it was on fire. At first he didn't respond, but his hands eventually found themselves around my waist. I began to calm down.

"I'm sorry… I know words cannot express how sorry I am, but _I don't know what else you want me to do_…" I mumbled into his shoulder, knowing that he would understand what I was talking about. I heard him give a deep sigh before answering.

"Oi don't understand why you are resentin' this...Oi was told your..._incident_ was planned?" I pulled away from him sharply, searching his deep blue eyes for deceit. The Spy must had told him that…

"No...it was never like that...I don't want to make excuses, but I was inexperienced, and I mistook your parents' car for my target's." I looked away from him, unable to hold eye contact. I laid back down on the uncomfortable table, directing my gaze up at the ceiling lights. In my peripheral vision, I could see him turn away from me. At first, I thought he was going to leave the room, but he began pacing instead.

"Why do you want my acceptance?" He stopped walking and turned towards me. His eyes looked wet, shining brightly as he returned to my side. He seemed upset, for he was constantly moving around the room, and he had this habit of scratching his scraggly beard, which had grown out due to the lack of time to shave, when he was unhappy.

"I-I don't what else could make this feeling of..._guilt_ go away." The lump in my throat tightened. I wished he would say something…_anything_...but all he did was stare at me, unmoving as my words registered in his mind. I'd taken so many things away from his family- they will never get to see each other again… his mother and father will never get to experience the joys of being grandparents… his sister's newly born child will always be asking questions about where his grandparents were… I could already see the woman's mournful face as she will brush aside the child's question to protect him from the truth...

And I was the beast who took all of that away from them.

And all for what? Money?

I shut my eyes painfully, unable to stand the feeling of remorse.

I was a _monster_.

The doors of the infirmary opened. I could hear the BLU Medic complaining about the littered tools on the ground. When he saw that I was awake, he came over.

"Did you take out ze tubes? You are not healed completely yet, Fräulein!" He moved the Sniper out-of-the-way, tending to my body with careful hands. "You are one lucky girl! If our Snipah here hadn't brought you to me az soon az he did, you vould have been dead!" He laughed as if it were the funniest thing he had heard all day… It probably was.

Finding my voice, I spoke up. "How are the others?"

His face fell.

"Unfortunately, ve lost zhree REDs zis morning, and ze BLU Spy iz missing…" The BLU doctor began to write something on his clipboard, glancing at the beeping heart monitor every once in a while. The Medic, Demoman, and the Spy… I felt like I was to blame for their deaths. The beeping monitor increased its tempo as a disturbing thought crossed my mind.

The BLU Spy was still out there...waiting for me.

"Sh-she was there with the RED Spy upstairs."

The Medic stopped taking notes. He didn't have to ask about who I was talking about to know. "If I may ask… Vhat did ze _do_ to you?"

I explained the reason why the Spy tied me up, making sure I didn't miss a single detail. Mundy eventually had to leave the room, saying something about taking a walk to cool himself down. The Medic looked mortified by what I said, apologizing for what I had to go through.

"Vhen ze Spy twisted your arm, did he grab you here," The BLU poked my wrist, "or here?" He pointed at my elbow. I motioned to my wrist, curious as to why he wanted to know.

"Due to ze damage, I had to replace your ulna vith a metal sheet." Grabbing my arm, he dragged his finger across a long scar from my pinkie to my elbow. "Alzo, one of your kidneys and your stomach vas ruptured by ze gunshot vound, zo I had to perform emergenzy surgery." My brown eyes widened. He was basically telling me that he had saved my life...with the help of his Medigun, of course.

"Thank you… I am extremely grateful for your help." The BLU just waved me off, saying it was all apart of his job. Several minutes passed and my thoughts began to drift to our respawn system and MG. Was it almost done? I voiced my concerns to the doctor.

"The repairman eztimated zat ze respawn vill be fixed by tomorrow, but he said not to trust it entirely...it may not vork. Ve have also received vord from ze Administrator… Gray Mann iz considering making a deal, zo ve may not have to worry about tomorrow." I nodded my head, smiling gratefully for the news. That's one problem down…

"When will I be able to go? I'm hungry and I can't stand sitting around for too long…" The Medic grinned, flashing me his set of perfectly straight and white teeth.

"It may be zeveral days before you vill be completely healed, Fräulein, however I am sure zat our Snipah vill be taking _very_ good care of you." A blush crept forward on my cheeks as he said those words. "Eating will have to wait as well… I vant you conzuming fluids only for ze next twenty-four hours to zee if you can keep it down."

I groaned out in annoyance, but I knew I should just be glad that I was still alive. If Mundy was late by one-second… Oh, I didn't even want to think about it! After checking my vitals and moving me to a different and _far_ more comfortable bed, the doctor left the room, saying that he will be back in three hours to check up on me.

"Oi! The twitchy boy is 'ere to visit ya, is that olright?" Mundy's voice called through the door, several seconds after the Medic left.

"Yeah! Bring him in, please!"

The RED Scout came rushing in as soon as the door opened, crashing into several beds before reaching mine. He was carrying a tan object in his hands.

"My hat!"

"Nice to see you too, toots." I pulled the kid forward, squeezing him tightly with my good arm. I could hear Sniper grunt out his disapproval from the background, which resulted in the Scout flipping him off with his middle finger.

Placing the hat on my head, Scout grinned enthusiastically, pulling up a chair to sit beside me.

"Dayuuum, you're not lookin' so hot, babe… I heard about what happened, but I didn't think it was dis bad." He said, his voice hard to follow when his lips were moving so fast. "I knew dat Spy was always up ta no good from da very beginnin'...always smokin' like da factories back in Boston. Ya know, dis reminds me of last week when we tried using Pyro's lighter ta see if we could make a flamethrower with Soldier's ass because he ate those jalapeño flavored beans-"

I smiled lightly, happy to see that the Scout was back to his normal self. He didn't seem angry about what happened yesterday anymore...I knew this kid couldn't hold a grudge…

* * *

"-den Spy was all like 'ma head is on fire'! I can't believe he was dumb enough ta-"

I looked past Scout and sheepishly smiled at the Sniper. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed in annoyance, waiting for the Scout to finish his rant.

"-I was all like 'ya shouldn't have stuck ya head down there in the first place'! Other than dat, I'm glad to see dat you're ok." His bright, blue eyes flickered to the large scar on my arm before returning back to my face. He stood from his seat, preparing to leave the room, but stopped and leaned down to whisper something in my ear. "By the way...I was da one who got ta change you out o' yer dirty clothes."

He ran out of the room with lightening speed, my pillow not coming anywhere close to hitting idiot when I threw it. He was a sweet boy...but annoying as hell at times.

"Never thought the bloke would stop buggin' ya…" Sniper walked over to my side, taking the unoccupied seat the Scout left behind. I shrugged my shoulders, saying "he does that all the time."

A comfortable silence passed between us as we stared at each other. He looked exhausted with bags underneath his eyes and his brown hair disheveled...

"You look really tired. How long have you been up?" I asked idly.

"It's eleven o'clock at night, so nothin' too bad." I scoffed as he tried to shrug it off. This man had fought against robots for a good five hours straight; he cannot say that he wasn't tired. "Don't worry about me, sheila, Oi've got me coffee to keep me goin'." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of a coffee machine that he must had brought in earlier. "#1 Sniper" was printed on a coffee mug sitting next to the machine. Most likely, it's probably been sitting there for a long time.

"I'll be fine here...You go on to bed, ok?" I suggested with a yawn, but was turned down with a shake of the head.

"Nah...after what happened with the spook, Oi wanna make sure you're safe." I felt touched by his words, blushing lightly when he didn't avert his gaze from mine. I took off my sun hat, passing it to him so he could place it on the bed behind him. Hesitantly, I grabbed his hand with my own, interlocking our fingers in a tight grasp. When he didn't pull away, I closed my eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.

A warm kiss was placed against my forehead...I squeezed his hand in response.

I no longer felt as cold as I did when I first woke up as the warmth of his lips spread throughout my body.

I wished that time could freeze in this moment.

But of course, all good things must come to an end.

But sometimes…

They are replaced with even better things.

* * *

**A.N.: Just an informational chapter with lots of dialogue to fill you all in for what is to come in future chapters! A little fluff between our two Snipers, but I promise, more is to come! I would also like to apologize for all the replies at the top of the chapter: I got A LOT of reviews in 24 hours! See ya next time! :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**A.N.: I apologize for the (slightly) late chapters! I've got so much laundry and stuff that I need to do around the house, and Kroger (my workplace) keeps calling me in because other people are calling off. I've also began watching some guys on YouTube named "Game Grumps", and they are freaking hilarious! Go and check them out! (You all are probably like "quit making excuses and get on with the story".) :3**

**Derpyguest: I have made a plot chart that said I would finish the story in fifteen chapters, but I keep on adding new things to it and taking things out so it is difficult to tell. :)**

**GodzillaKom: Will I bring people back? Hmm...Never thought about that. GUESS YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO FIND OUT THEN. *Trollface* thank you for the compliments :)**

**Bronzonglover52: LOL Scout was "comic relief" for the last chapter. I also needed to clear some things up with him, so I thought that would be the perfect time. :D**

**The Timmynator: XD I don't know if you meant to do this, but that pun that you made was amazing! "That was a real_ eye-opener_." HAHA you know, because of Demo..? No? You didn't get it? Sorry, I'm weird. Thank you for all of your compliments; I love it when my readers give me positive feedback! **

**Typ: Thanks! Scout is one of the main supporting characters, so I had to get him in somewhere. I added you on steam...it will either say Piperlucy or mfannin98 (I can't remember, I have long-term memory loss :P)**

**Tf2RedScout:You are just too nice to me!**

**Guest: That would be amazing if they gave out saxxys to writers! Sadly though, I am horrible at editing videos. Thank you for your review, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :D**

**Claire: No! Not my rotten yet lovable dog who likes to hump legs even though she's a girl! I am very happy to know that you like my story! Thank you for taking the time to review :)**

**Disclaimer: Mmmmmph Mmmmph Huddah TF2!**

* * *

I awoke with a start, the familiar white walls of the infirmary coming into view. From what I could tell, it was really late. Loud explosions echoed from outside, and my body was chilled to the bone. One short moment later, I noticed that my Australian was missing from the bedside, his coffee mug sitting idly on the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" I muttered. Yanking the bed sheets off my body, I ignored the doctor's request for me to stay in bed. I had to go see what was going on…

I found my clothes in a bag sitting by a desk several feet away from my bed. They were dirty and stained with dried blood, but I didn't want to go outside with just a hospital gown on. I flinched as my sore muscles moved while I dressed myself, hissing in pain when I had to bend over to buckle up my boots. My abdomen felt like someone had driven a knife in it, and twisted all of my insides around. My leg (the one that I fractured) was hard to walk on, making me limp with each step I took.

My dirty, braided hair was falling out of its rubber tie, and I probably smelled like roadkill, but I didn't have time to take care of that stuff. Stumbling out of the room, I searched for my Sydney Sleeper, but couldn't find it. I would have to stick with my Springfield and kukri... I strapped my gear onto my back, muffling sounds of pain with each step I took. Walking outside, my suspicions were confirmed when I was greeted with hundreds of robots, more than what we had seen earlier yesterday. Why were they here? Medic said that Gray Mann was making a deal with the Administrator! Not even ten hours ago, we were fighting against the machines, so how could there be more!

All of my teammates were moving sluggishly, and the Engineers' sentries were quickly running out of ammo. Pulling out my gun, I began sniping robotic Heavies without a second thought. It was extremely difficult to see through my scope at night, but it was hard to miss the blue glowing eyes of the machines as they marched around.

"What is leetle Sniper doing outside of hospital!" I saw our Heavy firing nonstop at a group of Scouts, desperately trying to fight them off.

"I can't just wait inside while you guys put your lives on the line! Where are the others?"

"BLU Pyro and Scout are dead! Heavy is having hard time without anyone to help!" He shouted over the gunfire. My heart clenched at the news, but I would have to mourn their deaths later. I jogged painfully away from Heavy, taking cover around the corner at the edge of our base. I was backing him up by protecting him from hidden Spies. Things could have been easier, but considering the fact that we lacked one mumbling, fire-loving mercenary (who would normally spycheck with his flamethrower) was taking its toll.

A loud, revving motor jarred me out of my thoughts. Looking into the distance, everyone's jaws dropped at the sight of what they saw.

A massive tank, guarded by twenty Soldiers, was slowly rolling its way down the sandy path.

"It's got da bomb!" Scout called out, grunting in frustration as he knocked a Demoman's head off its shoulders. Nearly everyone went charging forward, revealing the locations of all the mercenaries to me. Counting every head, I saw that everyone, who was still alive, was charging forward at the tank. But…

I couldn't find Mundy.

"Mundy!" I called out, limping out of my post to go out and find him. I saw a blue dot slide across the building to my right as I hurried forward, eventually it stopped on my head.

_BANG!_ A shot rang through my ears as I ducked out of the robot Sniper's sights. Pulling up my scope, I aligned the crosshairs with the robot...one that looked just like the BLU Sniper. I hesitated for a moment, then pulled the trigger, watching as its chest caved in when my bullet entered. Without a second glance, I continued on.

"SNIPER!" I yelled on the top of my lungs, coughing roughly from the exertion. Where was he? Heavy didn't say anything about him...but what if..?

"Avery! Bloody hell, whot are ya doin'!" His voice called out. I twisted my body in all directions, looking for him frantically.

I spotted him up on the second floor balcony, a surprised look on his tired face. He disappeared from my sight for a few seconds before I caught him sprinting down the steps urgently. His eyes weren't covered by his aviators, allowing me to see the wild, yet gentle look in his blue eyes.

"You're not fully healed yet, love, go back inside." He leaned down to talk in my ear, hot breath giving me chills as it blew against my skin.

"I'm fine...we need to move upstairs away from here." I stood on my toes to respond, shouting loudly in order for him to hear me. I hobbled toward the stairs, leaving him behind to watch me with an astonished look on his face. I groaned as I stumbled up the stairs. My stomach felt like a car ran over it, increasingly getting worse with each step I climbed.

"You are a piece o' work, sheila…" The Sniper said, reaching out to carry me up the stairs. I normally would complain, but the situation at hand was too nerve-wracking to add a petty argument into it. I rested my head against his shoulder, a fleeting feeling of safety flashing through me for the ten seconds of peace we had before we would have to return back to reality.

For the first three seconds of tranquility, I thought about how much I craved this man in the most innocent form. I craved to say goodnight to him, and give him forehead kisses, and say that I adored him even when he was at his worst. I craved him in ways where I just wanted to be next to him...nothing more or less.

For the next six seconds afterward, I thought about why I cared for him so much. Maybe it was because he could deal with how much of a mess I was, or how moody I could get, yet he still was strong enough to still hang around me. Perhaps it was because he's more myself than I am, and our personalities were similar, yet different at the same time.

For the last second of peace, I thought about how much I loved him. I loved him because he had brought me back to life. I was like a caterpillar in a cocoon, scared of what the world had to offer, but he had drawn me out and shown me that in his eyes...I was a beautiful butterfly.

When we reached the balcony, the Sniper setting me gently on a box by the railing. I noticed that the robots were focusing their attention upon the monster tank, protecting it with everything they had. Mundy and I sat in silence as we focused on the task at hand, taking out robot after robot with our rifles. The machine numbers were diminishing, mounds and mounds of mechanical parts lying on the ground.

"What happened, Sniper?" I asked, pulling away from the scope. I didn't see anymore Sniper bots, so hopefully we got them all.

"Oi was half-asleep in the infirmary when the Medic came bustin' through the doors like a crazed buggah. He was sayin' that the robots were back for anotha round." I nodded my head, but I was hoping for more. Was that all?

I jumped out of my thoughts when I saw the RED Scout grabbing his shoulder as he was blown off his feet by a Soldier's rocket launcher, screaming for the Medic to come and heal him. I was preparing to make my way down the stairs and run to the Scout, but a large hand was placed on my shoulder.

"I have to go help him!" I said in a determined tone, already knowing the Australian was going to say next.

"The Medic will take care o' 'im...besides, whot do ya plan on doin' when ya get to 'im, anyway?" I sat thinking about what he said, his words ruling out my own, but the longer Scout rolled around on the ground, crying out for help.

The more I wanted to help him.

So while Mundy was taking care of a Spy with his jarate and bushwacka, I snuck out behind him, stumbling down the stairs painfully. I hobbled through the sand, running to the Scout as fast as I could, my leg crying out in pain.

_Whot do ya plan on doin' when ya get to 'im, anyway?_

I planned on doing everything in my power to protect him.

But as I moved closer and closer, I noticed that a stray Soldier caught sight of my wounded friend.

"Scout! MOVE!" The young adult looked in my direction, a confused look crossing his face as he watched me lurch forward in fear. His gaze then traveled to the mechanical Soldier pointing his rocket launcher at him. His eyes widened in realization. He slowly climbed up to his feet, clutching his shoulder painfully.

The Soldier fired his rocket.

Everything moved in slow motion.

Long arms wrapped around my shoulders as I jumped forward.

The Scout looked on in utter horror at what he saw.

The Soldier's launcher was pointed at the ground, an explosion that caused not only the robot to explode, but the RED Heavy who threw himself on top of it as well.

The big, loving father who shared personal information about his family to me...sacrificed his life for the kid he's always hanging around.

I didn't need someone to tell me that Heavy thought of Scout like a son.

"AHHH!" I heard the Scout scream in rage as time began to pick up its normal pace again. Grasping his dislocated shoulder in agony, he jogged up to the body of the Heavy, his body so deformed it was too gruesome to describe.

"Shhhh…" I could hear the Sniper whisper into my hair. I grasped onto his arms, squeezing tightly as I watched the boy mourn over the father figure who he'd been searching for all his life.

* * *

A massive explosion sounded around us as the tank blew up just outside of our base. Thankfully, my physically and mentally exhausted teammates had succeeded in stopping the robots.

No one cheered.

No one shouted with joy.

No high fives were passed around.

Just silence...with the sound of the sizzling from the burning tank's melting metal in the background.

It was seven-forty in the morning. All everyone wanted to do was take a nap.

But first we had to collect the bodies of our fallen comrades.

We found the Pyro and Scout underneath a massive pile of scrap metal. I don't think I'll ever be able to get the image of the Scout's dull brown eyes out of my mind after what I saw was left of his body.

The thing that troubled us all the most, however, was that when we returned to collect the Heavy's body…

It wasn't there.

We searched for hours, intent on finding the remains, but they were no where to be found. Did some robots take them? It was as if he disappeared off the face of the earth...

I spent most of my time trying to calm Scout down. He was blaming himself for the death of his best friend.

He told me that he wanted to commit suicide because of it.

So... I held him... I held him in my arms for as long as I needed to.

I knew how he felt. He was feeling sad, of course, but it's not the kind of sadness to where you cry all the time...but more like the sadness that overwhelms your entire body, leaving your heart aching and your stomach empty. The kind that makes you feel weak and tired, and yet you can't sleep because the sadness is in your dreams too. It's almost a sadness you can't escape.

We all decided to finish our search later, so we headed back to the base for some much-needed rest. The Medic took this time to scold me and the Sniper; yelling at me for leaving the infirmary, and shouting at the Sniper for not taking me back.

Man, did my stomach hurt! I supposed the Medic was right about staying in bed...I got out of surgery about eight hours ago, and I was _pretty_ sure I probably shouldn't have been moving around so much...

When we entered the building, the Medic immediately began shooing me towards the infirmary with Mundy trailing behind as quiet as a mouse. I refused to go, however, not without a clean bath and a new set of clothes. I _hated_ being dirty...it's a pet-peeve of mine.

"Ugh...if you must...but no more running! I may havez to order an Magnetic Rezonance Imaging scan becauze of your reckless behavior!"

With those words said, I went off on my own...Mundy muttering something about hanging out with Medic in the lab.

I walked to my room, which seemed like it hadn't been used in quite a while. Dust had collected on the surfaces of my furniture, and my bed sheets were still lying on the floor next to the window. Walking to my dresser, I pulled out a pair of comfortable pajamas that I usually wore to bed.

"Ah!" I jumped when an image of the BLU Spy showed up in my mirror when I looked up, but after I blinked...she was gone.

_Even when she isn't here, she bothers the shit out of me... _I grabbed my toothbrush and paste, heading down to the unoccupied bathroom on the second floor. I'd learned that all the men liked using the bathrooms on the first floor, so that meant the second floor restrooms would be free at my expense.

Taking my shower, I enjoyed the feeling of hot water against my aching body, massaging my shoulders tenderly.

My thoughts drifted to the Heavy and the others...

I wanted to mourn their deaths, but something my father told me long ago rang through my ears. I remembered when my grandmother died of lung cancer at the age of sixty-five... She would always take me out to go eat ice cream, and we'd hang out at the local bowling alley and just play all day long. At her funeral, I cried at the sight of her in the casket. Her skin was cold, and her face looked worn out from the many years of battling cancer. My father pulled me aside after they buried her in the ground, and said:

_"It's wrong to mourn someone who died...instead, we should thank God that we got the chance to spend time with them."_

* * *

**A.N.: Aww...I wonder how Heavy's family will react to his death...but that will happen in another chapter! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was kind of like a build up to what will be coming up. :3**


	14. Chapter 14

_**ATTENTION! PLEASE READ BEFORE MOVING ON TO CHAPTER 14!**_

**A.N.: One hour after posting, I decided to take down ch. 13 to make some major improvements on it! So PLEASE go back and check to see if the ending is different from what you read! If it isn't, then go on ahead and continue!**

**DerpyGuest: I'm sorry that I had to delete your review! Make sure you go back and reread ch. 13 :(**

**TF2Girl: I know! It was so sad to write!**

**GodzillaKom: Check PM**

**Tf2RedScout: Check PM**

**Bronzonglover52: O.O I don't know...maybe his body parts ran away? haha!**

**Marzerin (on Chapter 12): Yay! I'm glad that you like it! I always hated searching for stories on TF2 because a lot of them were MxM, so I decided to make one of my own! :D**

**Skyedoge: You make me feel so special T.T, I am so excited that you (along with other people) are enjoying my story! Sometimes, I have problems with my tenses, but I'm getting better at keeping it in one form instead of two. :) Thank you!**

**TF2Girl(#2?): Woof! (Good!)**

**Disclaimer: Divergency does not own Team Fortress 2.**

* * *

"So what did he say about the respawn?"

"..."

I waited patiently for his answer, watching him as he ran a hand underneath his trophy belt hat. I crossed my arms over my chest, the fabric of my pajamas feeling soft against my skin. Mundy had just returned from a meeting with MG over the system's progress, and I wasn't allowed to leave the infirmary due to Medic's strict instructions.

"He's finished it…"

"...And?"

He looked nervous, almost afraid, of my reaction. I could tell this wasn't going to be good news.

"Well, we're not sure if he completed it before the battle or after it ended."

"Why does it matter?"

"We need someone to test it out; to see if it works… Of course no one volunteered to try it, and we also don't know if Heavy died before it was completed." I flinched at how bluntly he said it. It seemed like it had been days since our lovable mercenary had died, but it had only been hours. I could tell that everyone felt like they were headless chickens...we didn't know if the robots would be coming back, and the Administrator refused to pick up the phone whenever we called.

Speaking of calling, we needed to contact the family's of our fallen men and let them know what happened…

I stretched my tan arms up into the air. My back was killing me from the awkward position I was sitting in. The doctor placed several pillows underneath my back, telling me it was necessary in order to keep my abdomen stabilized while it healed. Honestly, it just made me feel like I had to puke...

"I'm worried about ya, sheila." I focused my gaze upon him, smiling gently at his pink-tinted face.

"Don't bother! The doc said I would be good as-"

"It's not that." He looked away from me, averting his gaze from my brown eyes. I lifted my palm up, placing my hand against his cheek gently. His blue eyes flitted back to my face, an emotion I couldn't name flashing in them. "After whot happened with the bloody spook and the robots..."

I furrowed my brows. Did he not think I was capable of keeping myself together? I was touched by his words, but I felt like I was being underestimated of my emotional capabilities. After all I had been through-the suicidal thoughts, my darker personality's awakening, and the deaths of my close friends-I knew I was strong enough to take care of myself.

"Look… I understand that life has knocked me down a couple of times, but as soon as I see, with my own eyes, that fucking Spy six-feet underground...I'll be fine." I wasn't about to let the spook win this round by affecting the way how I viewed things. I had three choices on how to take my experiences of sadness and reflect it upon my life. I could either let it define me, destroy me, or use it to my advantage by letting it strengthen me.

I dropped my palm from his face, letting it rest in my lap with my other hand. He told me he was heading to the kitchen to grab something to eat, the corner of his lip twitching upwards when I complained about the lack of food in my belly. Laughing heartily, he dodged my punches, and left the room, mentioning that he would be back in a second. The room became silent.

Playing with my hat, I whistled out a song to keep me entertained. Medic was out trying to contact the Administrator, and the others were probably mourning the deaths of their comrades by drinking their thoughts and memories away...

* * *

It's probably been ten minutes now, and Mundy wasn't back. Maybe he got held up by the other mercenaries? Perhaps he was enjoying his food away from me, so I wouldn't feel tempted to steal it from him? It was really lonely without someone to keep me company, which surprised me greatly. Before I came to Team Fortress Industries and met my new family, I loved being alone, and didn't mind the lack of human contact… But now, my body was aching for social interaction like a nicotine addict wishing for his next cigarette.

Several minutes after the Sniper left, mumbling came from the corner of the room, scaring the hell out of me. I knew Medic kept Archimedes in here, but I was pretty sure doves didn't talk... The mumbling continued on and didn't seem like it was going to end anytime soon, so I decided to go check it out. Most likely, it was my mind playing tricks on me, but what if it wasn't? Rolling off the pillows gently underneath my back, I tossed them to the side while I cracked the bones in my back. Dangling my feet over the edge of the bed, I called out.

"Who's there?"

The mumbling stopped.

Stepping off the bed, I make my way to the dark corner of the bright room, limping every once in a while when my leg began to cramp. Squinting into the dark space, I take one more step forward.

"AHHH!" A voice cried out. A blue flash flew out of the shadows, tackling me to the ground. I wheezed heavily, trying to breath as the body above me pinned my arms at my side with its legs.

"I didn't want thingz to go like dis...but I'm running out of time." A smooth voice called out. Opening my eyes, I came to face to face with the last person I wanted to see alive.

A dirty, sand-covered _BLU Spy_ was smiling wickedly as she shoved her revolver into my mouth. Her once dark and glossy hair had lost its shine as it fell in my face, and her make-up smeared visage came inches away from mine as she cackled with glee.

I screamed on the top of my lungs as she pulled out her butterfly knife, dragging it down the side of my face with the sharp-edge. I could hear Wheatley's voice in the background as he cried out for help, asking God why he got stuck with "wacko lady". His shouts were soon silenced, though, when the Spy pulled the pistol out of my mouth and shot a hole in him.

"I hope you rot in _hell_…" I sneered as she placed the gun against my temple. Her already enlarged grin widened even further as she drug it across my forehead. I glared at her fiercely, refusing to give her the satisfaction and feeling of superiority.

"I'll be zeeing you zere soon enough." Her eyes were wide with pleasure as she cocked the gun.

"Avery! Are you olright? Oi thought Oi heard a gun-" The Sniper froze as he entered the door. Collapsing to his knees, he clutched at his chest painfully, sprawling out on the floor face-down.

_She shot him._

The Spy was surprised by his entrance, so in fear of her plan being ruined, she rose her gun and shot him, unknowing of who it was she killed.

"No, I didn't mean to! I just wanted-" In her frightened phase, she released me from my spot on the ground, bringing her hands up to her face. I wouldn't let her finish her sentence as I yanked the gun out her hands. Kicking her off of me, I aimed the pistol at her head watching as her arms flew up in a defeated position. It was as if she was knocked out her crazed state, and placed back into reality. The tables had been turned in my favor.

"My apologiez, mon cher, it was an accident! Pleaze don't kill me, I promise to not 'urt you!" I hesitated as her blue eyes bore into my own. They looked frightened and scared, yet I could detect a hint of deceit and trickery in them.

"I may not be_ strong_ enough to forgive you...but I sure as hell know that I'm not_ dumb_ enough to trust you."

And with those words said, I pulled the trigger.

Tossing the gun away, I stumbled over to Mundy, tears flooding my eyes. Flipping his body over, I patted his face gently, whispering gently in his ear.

"Robert Mundy...if you can hear me, just open your eyes…" I pressed my cheek against his bloody chest, listening for any kind of noise. "MEDIC! You're gonna be ok...I promise…" I normally liked to keep my promises, but I had a feeling I would have trouble keeping this one… I screamed for the doctor once more, eventually catching his attention.

"Vhat is ze matter- O Mein Gott!" The Medic appeared through the entrance, gasping in surprise at the sight of me lying upon Mundy's body, his blood smeared on my cheek from where I pressed it against his wound. Medic scrambled over to his Medigun, charging it up before releasing the healing rays upon the Sniper.

"Wake up… Just wake up!" I shouted, my light pats turning into hard smacks as I tried to bring back the one I loved. His dull blue eyes were half-lidded and his mouth hung slightly ajar. I watched as my tears fell on his face, getting caught on the light stubble on his chin. The rays of the Medigun receded away from us, making me cry out.

"W-what are you doing! You can still save him!"

"...I'm sorry." The Medic muttered, saying something about giving us a moment. He walked past me, catching sight of the lifeless BLU Spy and Wheatley.

At that moment, my heart split in two...one side being filled with memories, and the other side dying along with him. Leaning down, I placed my lips upon his own. I never got the chance to do this when he was alive… The rough and slightly cracked lips were still somewhat warm, and his tan skin was turning paler. I pulled away, shutting his eyelids with my fingers. I could hear Medic shuffling around at the other side of the room, inspecting the scene.

If only the respawn were up…

_Wait…_

The system!

Bolting up from my spot, I busted through the infirmary doors. Several mercenaries were waiting expectantly outside, asking me questions about what happened. I could hear Medic calling after me, but I ignored them all. I had to go see if he was alright!

Stumbling through the hallways, I made my way downstairs to the basement, tripping and falling on my face at the very bottom step. I ran to the intelligence room, the halls seeming to have grown longer as I urgently made my way into the door. Thrusting it open, my gaze flies to the machine, excited to find Mundy safe and sound.

But he wasn't there.

The teleporting machine was on and running, but no human stood upon it.

MG looked frightened from his spot against a desk, dropping his sandwich on his plate. "What's wrong?"

I turned to him, my eyes and face red from my tears.

"He's gone."

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**A.N.: Kind of short chapter, but it gets the point across. Please review everyone! I love hearing about what you think of each chapter! I hold every comment dear to my heart :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**A.N.: WOW! 80 reviews and 3,000 views: that makes me so happy. :3 I ran up to my mom the morning after I posted ch.14 and said: "MOM! 80 reviews and 3,000 views!" She was all like: "STFU I'm busy!" (That's her way of saying good job). I don't know any other way on how I can express my happiness to you guys. I shall give you all a BIG hug (even if you're half-way across the world)!**

**GodzillaKom: I'm sorry! I had to do it! The voices in my head wouldn't stop yelling at me! I still love you though (If that means anything.) :3**

**xxNueXx: T.T I feel bad! What would you say if this was the last chapter and Mundy will never come back? It's a good thing you won't have to worry about that though because we've still got some chapters to go. :D**

**KingSuperPimp: Holy shit! Did you look through my notes! What you said was basically what I had down on my plot chart (except in a different order). There are a number of differences between the two but what you came up with is a good idea :) I (think) I added you on steam...but if you don't receive the friend request, my steam name is either mfannin98 or PiperLucy98 (can't remember because it's been soooooo long!) P.S. I'm taking a guess of 14-years-old. **

**The Timmynator: I'm super glad that you liked it!**

**Bronzonglover52: XD I was waiting for someone to say something about Wheatley! **

**Typ: From the beginning, it was my goal to make you guys cry (as horrible as it sounds), but I enjoy stories that make me want to bawl my eyes out because I become emotionally involved in them. Thank you for the review! :D**

**Skyedoge: I know… but I couldn't help myself! :3**

**DerpyGuest: Nah, it wasn't a dumb review...I just needed to take it down before other people could see it! :3 Thanks for the review!**

**Marzerin: Yes, her name is Avery, and I can understand you perfectly well! Thank you for the compliments and I promise a cheesy reunion between our Snipers...that is..._if_ I bring Mundy back…:)**

**Disclaimer: *shakes fist at sky* One day...ONE DAY...I will own...my own pancake house! But for now, my pancakes will have to wait as well as TF2 ownership.**

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Gray Mann impatiently tapped his fingers against the table, annoyance evident on his old and ashen features. The old hag was supposed to be here five minutes ago… How could she be late to a meeting that _she_ ordered to take place? Glancing at the clock for the fiftieth time, Mann gave out an exaggerated sigh.

The hag and her assistant may not know this, but this meeting was just as important to him as it was to them. He was running low on resources, and the mercenaries were not leaving much room to work with. He'd been trying to collect the Australium with force, but the idiotic professionals were making it extremely difficult to do so...he would need to approach this from a different angle…

Australium was a metal element which could adapt and transform itself into different states and forms, therefore making it extremely valuable and sought-after. Some technological advancements, such as teleportation and cloaking devices, are created by using this element.

Gray Mann _needed_ to make a deal with The Administrator, or then his dreams of Australium were over.

"Hello, Mr. Mann. I'm sure you know why we are here?" The old man was broken out of his thoughts. A young woman in a purple dress and black high heels stood at the opposite end of the long table. To the left of her was the Administrator, whose blank expression and poise gave her a certain level of intimidation. However, if there was anyone who could rival her authority, it was Gray Mann.

"Helen."

"Mann."

The two stared each other down, waiting for their opponent to look away in submission. Sly smirks began to spread across their faces, causing Miss Pauling to raise an eyebrow at the two. At the last conference they had, the two elders spent nearly the entire time glaring at each other.

"We have decided to accept your proposition, Mr. Mann… with a few adjustments, of course." Gray Mann's eyes flitted over to the assistant, moving up and down her tired-looking face before returning to the cocky visage of the Administrator.

"Let's hear them then." He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and legs smoothly. On the outside, he looked comfortable and elegant in his position, but really, he was having a difficult time with trying to get his dress pants to cooperate with him.

"Well instead of giving you all the Australium and land, we have decided-"

"We will give you half the amount, and help you find a different location to set up your factory." The Administrator's smooth voice said, her smirk stretching into a grin. Her offer was tempting, however, it wasn't enough.

"There is no other land that I know of that is as secluded as this one...No deal." Miss Pauling's jaw dropped at the stubborn man's answer. He would accept the amount of Australium, for they had plenty of it, but he _had_ to stay here. He refused to move to some remote area like Antarctica or the North… he didn't like the cold.

"Fine."

Miss Pauling glanced over at the woman by her side. The reason why they were late coming here was because of a heated discussion they had. The Administrator couldn't care less for the mercenaries who were fighting for their jobs and homes, but Miss Pauling wouldn't allow the Mann brother to steal anymore of their lives away...he had already taken eight…

"But… I have a fair idea for us all-"

"But ma'am-"

"Quiet, Pauling… It involves your robots."

"...I'm listening…"

* * *

"What do you mean 'he's gone'?" MG asked. My knees suddenly were unable to hold my weight as I collapsed on the floor, regurgitating vomit as my mind kicked into hyper drive. Medic told me that this would happen for the next few days as my body adjusted itself. The green matter that I puked out was the lining of my stomach...since I had nothing in my belly, the only material left was the bile that protected my digestive organ from the acid. That was not a good thing…

"Woah, woah, woah! Are you ok?" He ran over to my side, lifting me up and walking me to a roller-chair behind the intelligence desk. He pulled out an electrical fan from a nearby closet, plugging it in and allowing the air to hit my flushed form. My body felt weak, and my hands shook as I buried my face in them.

He was_ gone_...forever away and out of my grasp.

"I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong, Avery…" He uttered out from under his breath, rubbing my back gently as I sobbed into my rough palms.

"It doesn't work." I mumbled out, feeling his hands freeze in mid-action.

"What doesn't work?" He asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer to his question.

He tried hard...so hard to do what he could for us; spending days and nights working on the system so we wouldn't have to worry about death's awaiting arms...

I felt bad for him as I thought of my close encounters with the Reaper. Death's sweet embrace was something that I once longed for...but after I had met him, I didn't need it...not anymore. Now that he was gone, will I resort back to my old ways?

No…

I will survive...for him.

"Fuck! God fucking damn it!" I watched the middle-aged man tear through his work, tossing and shoving the blueprints off of his desk. He grasped his hair in his gloved hands, his rough breathing the only sound made during our period of silence. He paced the room in a trance, mumbling the same words over and over. I stood from my seat, shakily making my way to the door. It was hard to navigate through the basement hallways with tears in my eyes, but I had to get out of that room. A loud crash echoed through the entrance, but I didn't turn around to investigate it. The man needed his space, and I didn't want to bother him because I knew it was his way of coping with the loss.

When I passed the infirmary, I didn't dare to look inside, but from the corner of my vision, I could see a small puddle of blood pooling out from the bottom of the door. Choking back my sobs, I entered the cafeteria, making eye-contact with several teammates before turning towards the hall that would lead to my room. Several of the men voiced their concerns, but I ignored them. Don't get me wrong, I was truly thankful for their consternation of my feelings, but I just needed to be alone. I could hear Medic offering me some food, which I knew I wasn't allowed to have because of my surgery. He must had been worried for my well-being because when it came to medical procedures and human health, he was always spot on and never made exceptions. I declined him with a shake of my head, and left down the hall that would lead to the dorm rooms, wobbling slightly when I stepped forward with my bad leg.

I was doing pretty well so far, letting maybe one or two tears slide down my face as I moved through the base, but as soon as I entered my room, my waterworks was unable to hold itself back anymore. I curled into a ball on top of my squeaky mattress, pulling the covers over my head. It felt as if I'd spent hours under my sheets, because when I looked out my window it was dark outside. As cheesy as it sounded, I watched the stars for several minutes, hiccupping every once in a while. I noticed how pretty they looked out in the country compared to the smoke covered ones in the city.

_Maybe it's because you're up there…_ Opening my window, I climbed out of it without too much of a problem. I walked to my destination slowly, for my heart wouldn't be able to stand any sort of physical exertion...it was broken into pieces the moment I lost him.

As I continued my walk, my sadness was exchanged for rage. I wasn't angry at the Spy, nor him. I wasn't enraged at anyone except for myself. I wanted revenge on the Spy… In a way, I was sort of seeking her out every time I expressed my dislike for what she had done to me… But while seeking my revenge, I was digging two graves- one for myself and one for the BLU Spy. But then he showed up...taking my place without a say or complaint about what he wanted. His fate was already decided for him the moment he walked through that door...hell, his fate was decided the moment he met me out on that battle field…

I climbed into the camper van, glancing around at the familiar view. I noticed that something was different with the space inside...not only did it look cleaner, but an object was placed upon the tiny counter top next to his fridge. It was a necklace.

The chain was made of silver, and on the end was a simple teardrop. My hands flew up to my mouth at the sight of it. Several days ago, I was looking through a Mann Co. catalog when I came upon a jewelry section with beautiful and authentic gold rings, bracelets, and necklaces. I found it quite odd to see an entire sector of the catalog dedicated to something so girly, so I browsed through it some.

_"Find somethin' that ya like?" He said, peeking over my shoulder._

_"Yeah...this necklace looks cute." I could feel my face heating up from the close proximity between our bodies._

_"It looks so...plain, though. Whoi would ya want to buy somethin' like that?"_

_"...because it's simple...like me."_

I rolled the teardrop between my fingers, clutching it in my grasp tightly. I wonder how Mann Co. could have shipped it while we were in the middle of a war?

I tried to take even breaths, but instead they came out in raspy puffs. Making my way to the other side of the van, I pulled out his bed from the side of the wall. I sat on it softly, feeling kind of bad for intruding in his home for a moment, but he's gone...why would it matter?

The blankets smelled just like him; an earthy fragrance with a tinge of coffee beans. I buried my face into his pillow, tainting his smell with my own. For the rest of the night, I laid there...just thinking about how much of an idiot I was for letting him go. I didn't cry myself to sleep because I couldn't...his dead face was haunting the back of my mind.

Only God will know how long this will remain...

* * *

For the rest of the week, I continued on in my sorrowful mood, refusing to eat food except for some peanut butter crackers that Scout would force me to eat every once in a while. The one time that I talked this week was when I was given the privilege to inform the Heavy's family of their son/father/brother. I also had to tell them that we wouldn't be able to send his corpse back home to the Soviet Union...just thinking about it now made me feel sick.

Whoever said that loss gets easier with time was a liar. It may be too soon to say this, but it was hard knowing that he was away… Off in a distant land that was simply too far away to reach.

Luckily the robots had seized their assaults, but we still keep watch just in case. The Administrator had yet to pick up the phone whenever we called; most likely, she may had been murdered by the robots, or perhaps she and Miss Pauling were being held captive. We couldn't be certain of anything nowadays.

On the one week anniversary of his death, Medic came up to me to discuss his arrangements.

"I know zis may be hard for you, Fräulein, but ve need to move ze Sniper and Spy's bodies. I vould like to ask for your permission to move zem." He said. I stared at his face with a blank expression before nodding my head. I couldn't let his body sit and rot in the infirmary...He should had been buried days ago…

Medic, Heavy, Demoman, and I walked down the short path that lead to the doors. I could feel Demo squeeze my shoulder roughly as we all stood in front of the infirmary. His dried blood was smeared against the wooden floor just outside of the room, making my heart ache at the sight of it. Medic reached out to the door pushing it open slowly, expecting a body to be laying in front of it.

"I don't know if I can do this…" I looked away from the scene, not wanting to see his pale skin and dull eyes. Several gasps resounded around me as the men looked inside the door. Curiosity began to present itself to me, so I turned around slowly to find…

Absolutely nothing.

No bodies.

No Spy.

No him.

Just a broken Wheatley sitting abandoned in the corner of the room.

"Bloodeh hell?" Demoman picked up the ap-sap, glancing around the room warily. Did someone move the bodies?

Suddenly, we all could hear a phone ring from down the hall.

We all glanced at each other, waiting to see who would be the first to move. With a sigh, Medic left the room swiftly, his lab coat flying behind him like a cape. We all resumed our investigation of the room, waiting patiently for the doctor's return.

Looking over at my bed, I found my sun hat where I last left it; on his chair. Grabbing it with my thumb and index finger, I inspected the object carefully, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Placing it on my head after my investigation, I continued to search the room, flinching sometimes when I came across a bad memory.

"I have good and bad newz, my friendz!" Medic bursted through the door, panting slightly as if he were running. We all turned to him expectantly. "Ze Administrator called...she said zat ze mercenaries who died are still alive!"

A massive shockwave entered through my body as the news reached my ears.

He was alive…

He was _alive!_

"However… ze bad newz iz zat ve vill be fighting them...for zere freedom and our jobs."

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**A.N.: Ach! Medic! Why won't you tell us more? Please review and tell me how I did on this chapter! It's very important to me to hear feedback from my audience...it's what helps motivate me to continue writing. :)  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**A.N.: Yesterday, I decided to take a day off because of this lovely thing known as "writer's block" came and visited me. I was having such a hard time focusing, so I spent the day with my dad because he's heading out on a 2-week business trip to India (We live in the US) I apologize for the late update :(**

**Gryph777: Thank you for reviewing! :D Hopefully, my story helped with your insomnia? **

**xXNiueXx: I'm sorry! I shall explain the situation further in this chapter...and you may not like it…(duh-duh-duh-duuuuuuhn!) Thanks!**

**Bronzonglover52: I know...the last sentence was confusing, right? Don't worry...Scout feels the same way (check first sentence). I will explain what's going on, I promise!**

**DerpyGuest: Nope! I've got plenty more chapters in me! And then, after this story I will take a break before doing whatever else I want to write :) Thank you!**

**SilentRanger777: Thanks! I try to keep things interesting by going against the flow… I normally would have made it so that the Sniper would respawn one week after his death, but that would just be too easy… This story is more about drama than romance, so I changed things up a bit! :)**

**Dwarfiarty: Hmm...I can't tell you too much or then it will ruin the story! :D I truly appreciate your review...it helps motivate me to continue writing. It's nice to know that my readers appreciate what I do for them...thank you.**

**GodzillaKom: The voices are my conscious thoughts trying to tell me what to do...I'm glad that you like what I did, but don't start cheering yet, my friend...we've got a long way to go. :3**

**Marzerin: I'm glad that you are happy with the way how things are going :)**

**Tf2RedScout: 10/10 for you, my friend from Holland!**

**TF2Girl: Yes, there were two "TF2Girl"'s reviewing, so that's why I put a "2" beside your name. Thank you for reviewing, and if you need help with anything or if you have any questions, just ask me (about your story, of course)! I'm excited to read it if you will post it online :D**

**malistacity: In order for my plot to work, I had to switch things around and make it somewhat like an AU… I'm glad that you were making connections though! That means that I got you thinking...and thinking is good (if you know what I mean). Thank you so much for the compliments! I understand how you feel about poor grammar…it's hard for me to follow a story when I'm constantly correcting grammar in my head instead of paying attention to the meaning of it all. :)**

**The Timmynator: I knew about the life-extender machine. I was going to put that little detail in after Gray Mann and Avery...WAIT! I have said too much! O.O**

**skyedoge: Thank you for reviewing! Snipes...I feel bad for both the Snipers...but a writer's got to do what a writer's got to do.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TF2.**

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"Ok...Can you go over that again? Because I am confused as fuck right now." Scout called out from beside me, shoving mouthfuls of spaghetti into his mouth. All eyes turned to the boy, several pairs looking on in disgust at his messy display. RED Engineer glared at the Scout, yelling at him to "watch yer language, boy".

All ten of us were sitting in the cafeteria, discussing the situation at hand while we ate our dinner (courtesy of Pyro). The Administrator had informed us of an upcoming job we had in which the outcome will affect not only our jobs, but the lives of the others who had died during our battles with the robots. We were to leave by tomorrow morning on MG's bus, and head to the main HQ of Team Fortress Industries.

Medic explained the circumstances once again to our Scout, cursing in German when the young adult simply shrugged his shoulders.

"You do realize zat ve can bring back ze Heavy, right?"

Scout froze mid-bite, shooting evil glares at the doctor several seats down. "Shut up...I know that." He stared the elder man down, waiting for him to say anything else about the Heavy. With a sigh, I grabbed the Scout's shoulder and squeezed it tightly, begging him to let it go.

I glanced down at my untouched food, licking my dry lips at the sight of the noodles. I didn't feel hungry, yet my stomach wouldn't stop growling in rage for something to calm its needs. Slowly, I bring my utensil to my mouth, savoring the flavor of the spaghetti sauce. Damn...What is with these Pyros and cooking?

"I have informed our repairman of the situation… He seemed to be in quite the depressed mood, however." The BLU Engineer said, standing up from his seat to go grab another beer from the kitchen. "Anyone want another round?"

Nearly everyone cheered. Light-hearted chatter filled the room, discussing simple topics over simple things in our simple world. My mind was too cluttered to focus on the mercenaries simple conversation, however. I was happy to know that Mundy was alive, but this foreboding feeling refused to leave me to my delightful thoughts… Why?

Medic mentioned something about fighting to gain our friend's lives back...so who will we be fighting? Perhaps it will be more robots...but what will happen if we lose our fight? My teammates seemed to be happy with the situation in spite of the danger that was presenting itself. Didn't they understand the risks that we were taking? I suppose the threat of loss wasn't something I should be thinking about...no matter how terrifying it may seem. I should just be glad that we were being given the chance to bring back our friends.

Dinner continued on, everyone enjoying the time they spent with each other. The realization that this may be our last supper together dawned on me as we all cleaned up our plates. Of course we will see each other in the morning, yet a strange sadness filled my heart. If only life would go my way for once...

Everyone headed toward their rooms; the BLUs deciding to spend the night in their own base. The cafeteria was empty, minus me and the Demoman who was loading up on scrumpy in his kitchen. I returned to my seat, not feeling tired due to the apprehension that flooded my brain. I had so many questions...but the only people who could answer them were miles away.

"What are you doing out here?" I turned to MG, who came in looking like he had seen better days. His normally clean appearance looked grungy and grimy as he stood in the doorway that would lead to the basement.

"Thinking…" I said quietly, placing my chin against my fists. "Why weren't you here eating with us?" The elder man walked towards me, taking a seat across from my own. With his gloved hand, he scratched the back of his head nervously, thinking of the right words to say.

"...Uh-Well… I felt kind of ashamed and unworthy to be up here."

"How so? After all you had done for us?" I leaned forward in my seat, curious about what the repairman had to say. He looked flustered as he fumbled with his words, reminding me of a certain Aussie that I knew…

"I-I feel bad because I promised you guys to fix the system… I'm sorry." He looked away, unable to meet my gaze. As each word poured out of his mouth, I felt kind of _angry_ because of what he was saying. I placed my hand against his, speaking in a stern tone as he turned towards me.

"Never say you're sorry… What you did for us was more than enough." I could feel my heart racing as I spoke. "You gave us hope."

MG snorted. "Yeah, false hope…"

"If you weren't spending all of your time working on the respawn, everyone would have given up in battle and die an unnecessary death because we all would believe it was useless to try to fight the robots… In a way, you saved more lives by giving the project a shot instead of not doing a damn thing about it."

I pulled my hand away from his, resting it in my lap as we watched each other carefully. MG seemed as though he were in deep thought, considering my words with a level-head.

"Thank you… I needed that." I nodded my head, waving off his thanks with a smile. Before, he looked stressed as he thought about how disappointed we must had been, but now he seemed relieved with the truth I stuck in his head. We talked for the next hour about what was to come in several hours, discussing possible theories, and hypothesizing the outcome of our situation. Eventually, to our dismay, it was time to get some rest...we had a _long_ day ahead of us. With a simple "good-night", we parted ways; MG heading to the basement, and myself heading to my room. Just before I could leave, I saw Demoman stumbling out of the kitchen, climbing onto the couch with a bottle in hand.

"Eh-gonna beat ya with me club if ya don't shut ya mouth...heads full of eyeballs...bloody accordions…"

I smiled slightly at his drunken babble...I hoped this wouldn't be the last time I see him like that.

It was sort of...refreshing in a way.

* * *

The bus ride to the HQ of Team Fortress Industries was not as pleasant as my first ride to the RED base.

Out of habit, the BLUs took their seats on one side of the bus while the REDs sat on the other side. The air conditioning in the old piece of metal was broken, so we were all forced to rely on the windows for fresh air. Being in a cramped bus was not as pleasant as some may think...adding in some loud Soldiers, an annoyed Scout, and a drunken Demoman made for quite the "joy" ride.

"-I took his glasses, snapped them in half, and then lit them on fire with my lighter…and that's how I failed my driving test...Which reminds me of this one time when-" Groans resounded around the bus as our Soldier continued on with his story. However, the BLU Soldier looked thoroughly intrigued, as well as the BLU Pyro when the patriotic man mentioned something about "fire".

"How much farther is the place?" I asked MG from my spot right behind the driver seat.

"Not too long...maybe five minutes, give or take." I nodded my head, sliding my bottom towards the window in an attempt to distract myself. Looking outside, I saw what most people would see when out in the desert: lots and lots of sand. I didn't notice the change in our scenery until we were about a mile away from the main building.

_Grass…_ How long had it been since I last saw grass? The familiar sight looked very pleasing, and made me want to just go out and lay on it. All of it looked dried out and dead, but grass was grass… My thoughts began to drift to my childhood, and my father and I making mud pies. I missed him so much…

"We're here!" I could feel the bus slowly coming to a stop as we pulled up to the HQ. I was surprised to say that the place looked amazing with its luscious, green palm trees and impressive building structure. "Team Fortress Industries" was printed in large black letters on a sign.

Most people would think it was a resort from a distance…

We all climbed off the bus one-by-one. MG stopped me before I could leave.

"Good luck." He said, extending his hand out for a handshake. Instead of accepting his hand, I opted out for a hug, patting his back for several seconds before leaving without another word. I would've cried if I stayed any longer.

We were met by Miss Pauling in front of a set of large, glass double doors. The men behind me chattered loudly, launching into a conversation over architecture in Egypt. They didn't seem to be taking this seriously…

With a wave forward, we followed Miss Pauling through many long corridors. The halls were void of people and the rooms seemed empty of any form of life. We traveled deeper into the building, descending down many flights of stairs. As we walked, Scout was trying to get Miss Pauling to notice him, but she ignored him with ease...I wished I could do that.

The walls of the building went from a pleasant white to a dark blue as we moved further underground. The mercenaries began to quiet down when we passed a humongous window that displayed what looked like a battlefield. We weren't dumb...we all knew that was where we would be fighting...

"The Administrator is waiting inside." Was all Miss Pauling said, gesturing us forward with her clipboard in hand. We all entered into the large room, which was set up for a business meeting of sorts. Scout tried to plant a kiss on Miss Pauling before she left, but the tiny woman was able to dodge him by ducking under his large body.

"She wants me." Scout smiled dumbly, drifting inside as I shook my head. What a kid…

No one took their seats; all of us preferring to stand by as the Administrator's piercing gaze surveyed us all. I had met the woman once before, and man...was it horrible... An old man sat on the opposite side of the room, his face wrinkling in disgust as we all came forward.

"Hello, gentlemen. I am not a woman who enjoys giving grand introductions, so I will begin by presenting our "partner" and cut to the chase." We all warily glanced at each other. "This is Gray Mann."

The bastard didn't say a single thing to us as we all glared at him. This was the man who sent the robots upon us and destroyed our respawn. He was the mastermind behind the entire affair. He was the one who carelessly murdered our friends...the RED Demoman, Medic, Spy and Heavy; the BLU Scout, Pyro, Spy and…Sniper.

"For the past few weeks, we have debated over an ultimatum." The Administrator said, her smooth voice startling me out of my thoughts. "We have finally reached a decision. With a respawn machine we created using a special element, we have brought back your allies. However, for motivational purposes, we have decided to threaten their lives to guarantee that you_ all_ will put forth your best effort...We are going to have a battle...You against Mann's robots _with_ a little help." With a small wave forward, a large steel door in the back of the room creaked open. We all watched intently as the sound of shoes hitting the floor came through the door.

We all watched in amazement as the Medic..._our Medic_...entered the room, unscathed and emotionless. His eyes stared off into space as he walked forward, kind of like a..._robot_. One-by-one the men filed into the room. My eyes were practically bugging out of my head as an unexpressive RED Heavy walked into the room with a BLU Spy right behind him. The Spy never looked my way once, staring blankly ahead with an impassive look.

Tears clouded my vision when a familiar Aussie stepped out into my vision. I tried to wave at him, but he never looked once in my direction.

"If you can defeat Mann and your old teammates...you all will be spared. The respawn system that we have set up will protect you from death… I do not expect you to fail." I moved my gaze to the lowlife sitting away from us. Our eyes met in a fiery clash as I lunged forward towards the scum. I could feel our Soldier grab my shoulders, tugging me back before I could beat the shit out of the weasel. A sly smirk crawled up his face as he pulled out a remote, pushing several buttons before sitting back and enjoying the show. I gasped when I saw Mundy step forward towards me.

"Sniper…" I mumbled out, wanting to reach out and embrace him tightly. His blank expression was shielded from my view because of his aviators and hat. Unexpectedly, I felt a fist collide with my face as I fell to the floor. The robotic Sniper left the room, following our once dead teammates back to where they came from. I sat on the floor, just absorbing what happened.

He punched me...

I accepted the RED Engineer's hand, wiping the blood from my mouth. I bared my teeth at the Mann brother, feeling like a dog as his dominance began to overflow the room. I knew that Mundy wasn't in control of his body, which pissed me off to the extreme. The Administrator watched the scene with passive eyes, acting oblivious to what happened. I didn't expect the hag to care...but I wished she wouldn't let Mann act like he was the strongest man on the planet in _her_ building.

"Your mission begins in thirty minutes… I suggest you all prepare yourself."

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**A.N.: More is to come! I apologize for all of the reviews at the top, so many people responded last chapter! Review and tell me how you think I did this chapter. :)  
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	17. Chapter 17

**A.N.: Valve has released a new video for Team Fortress 2 on YouTube! It's called "Expiration Date", so you all should go check it out! Anyway, I would like to thank you all for the 4,500 views on this story...and to think that days ago I only had 1,000!**

**xXNiueXx: Thank you…:)**

**Bronzonglover52: Poor Wheatley! If only someone could do something about him! Oh wait… :D**

**Derpyguest: Thanks!**

**Dwarfiarty: check PM.**

**GodzillaKom: You have been here from the very beginning...I applaud your tenacity!**

**Mari: No first kiss yet (unless you count the one after he died). I could maybe possibly might kind of bring him back, but you never knoooow…:3**

**TF2RedScout: You will find out this chapter. Keep reading, my friend from Holland!**

**Femmedic: I know! Stupid Gray Mann with his robots...Gosh! Can't someone just get rid of him...oh, I forgot...I can :D **

**malistacity: I'm a little confused on what you meant by "pick up". Please elaborate if you don't mind.**

**Gryph777: I'm glad that you understand the predicament that I'm in :). My grandma passed away yesterday and she lives in a different U.S. state, so for the next day or two, I won't be able to post anything :(. Anyways...I'm glad that you are interested in my story! Thanks for reviewing once again!**

**Abilxey: check PM.**

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**Disclaimer: Team Fortress 2 is just too cool and amazing for someone like me to own.**

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The walk to the battlements room in Team Fortress HQ was very long to say the least. It was hard to believe that the mercenaries were having a blast in this hallway minutes ago because now they were dead silent. My cheek was aching from the punch Sniper threw at me, and the iron taste of my blood refused to go away no matter how many times I spat on the floor. That fucking bastard… I was going to get back at him, but not the way how I would had normally done so... I've had to learn about the effects of revenge the hard way...

I will get revenge by getting my friends back...just the thought of my teammates being treated as his puppets made me mad. Even the sight of the BLU Spy's emotionless face sent me over the edge!

No made a sound as we continued on our way. I slightly wished that one of the Soldier's would offer words of encouragement (no matter how idiotic they sounded), but they were just as quiet as the rest of the men. No one seemed motivated.

As we entered the battlements room, I glanced around at the saddened faces of my comrades. It was like they were just slapped in the face by reality. They all must have thought that we would just be fighting robots…

I was sure that some of these men had worked together for _many_ years. Then, after they had (probably) gotten over the deaths of their comrades, they were faced with a challenge that was be nearly impossible to complete...

Miss Pauling was given a few moments to explain to us what we would be doing… This "mission" would be like every other Control Point assignment we've had in the past. "King of the Hill" was how we normally would refer to it, but at this time, it didn't seem appropriate to give an important task the name of a childish game. All we had to do was hold the control point for thirty minutes before the robots could do it themselves...if not, then Gray Mann would take over our home and kill our comrades.

Looking in a locker that was labeled "Sniper", I didn't find my Sydney Sleeper, nor my Springfield. I could hear Medic reading a note aloud to everyone from beside the entrance to the respawn room. Apparently, Mann was unfairly supporting the robots by forcing us to collect our weapons while we are _on_ the battle field.

_Figures…_ Our weapon and ammunition supplier was Mann Co., so of course Gray Mann wasn't going to give us much. In my tiny locker was a dull knife the size of my forearm and a standard-issue SMG. Why did the Administrator not say something about this? If we lose, she will most likely lose everything that she and Miss Pauling had worked so hard to keep…

We still had a while until our battle would commence. I tried to imagine how difficult it would be to align the crosshairs of my rifle with the head of one of my friends, but couldn't after several seconds of thinking about it. Maybe if I just stick with the robots, I wouldn't have to worry? But then again, everyone is probably thinking the same thing as myself… Someone was going to have to do it…

Everyone around me was going around and shaking hands, apologizing for past wrongs they had done. It was as if they already knew we were going to lose…

"Ey, um, I just wanna say that I'm sorry for tacklin' da Sniper a week or two ago. I shoulda-"

"Quit apologizing." I looked into the blue eyes of the Scout fiercely as he walked up to me, confusion crossing his face as he scratched the back of his neck. I looked at the mercenaries who were busy hugging and patting each other on the back, feeling upset by their submission to Gray Mann's power.

"Uh-I don't know what else ya want me to do, toots! I really am sorry-"

"No, it's not that! We haven't even started the battle, and everyone is already giving up on each other!" I rose my voice, grabbing the attention of the depressed mercenaries around me.

"Look, lass, haven't ya been payin' attention to whots been happenin'?"

"Da, team is nine babies plus me against robots with old baby team...It is impossible for us to win." I smacked my hand against my face, feeling as if I were surrounded by children. Even the Engineers and Medic were agreeing with the Heavy!

"We're all still standing here, right? We've fought against countless numbers of robots, and protected our base...no, our _home_, without a respawn system. Do you want to save your friends? Then quit moping around like it's the end of the world!" I watched as their unsure faces thought about what I said before turning away in hopelessness. I could tell I wasn't getting to any of them…

"She's right." Our Scout patted me against the back, a small smile falling on his lips. His blue eyes seemed to shine in a newfound way, full of strength and life. I was glad to see that spark in him again… "Heavy wouldn't want me half-assin' mah way through this… I've gotta do it for him."

I grinned at his words, delighted to know that he would give it his all. I had no doubts that the mercenaries around me wouldn't try their best; however, I knew that their best efforts wouldn't be enough if they couldn't get rid of their feelings of abandoned hope for success.

Someone who is devoid of hope and conscious of being will likely cease to survive.

"Mission begins in five minutes." A familiar and smooth voice rang out. I could tell everyone was nervous because they were all fiddling with their gear and clothes constantly. RED Engineer was checking his wrench for any scratches on the surface, and Medic was readjusting his gloves carefully. Being nervous was not anything to be ashamed of… Nervous just meant that they cared, and they wanted to do well.

All of them were truly worried for their comrades, yet they didn't have faith in themselves to protect them…

"Mission begins in ten seconds." The familiar feeling of butterflies washed through me. The hair on my arms stood erect as goosebumps flooded over my skin. In my final seconds of peace, the thought of Mundy and I in the hospital room flitted through my brain.

No matter what… I was going to save him.

* * *

I wasn't used to being on the frontlines.

As a Sniper, it was my job to give fatal blows from a _distance_. I was skilled in marksmanship, and excellent at delivering long-range, precision fire on targets from _concealed_ positions.

Running in the line of fire was absolutely and irrevocably _not_ apart of my job.

In a matter of seconds of standing on the control point, I was taken out by a sticky placed by the RED Demoman. I shuttered when my body went through the effects of respawn as I opened my eyes. It felt strange to go through respawn after such a long time of not having it.

I wasn't the only one to be taken out by the explosives, for the BLU Heavy and RED Pyro appeared seconds after I respawned. Heavy seemed unaffected by the event and continued on, but the Pyro…

Now that I thought about it, I hadn't really talked to my mumbling friend in such a long time. I've given him several "thanks" and "hellos", but I wouldn't count those as conversations. The Pyro collapsed onto his knees, letting out a muffled cry as he grabbed at his heart. I ran over to him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, and helping him up.

"Mmmmph…" He said, pointing to his chest. He must had been hit in the upper body…

"C'mon buddy! We gotta go kick some robot butt! Set fire to them all!" I said to him, trying to cheer his fallen spirits with encouragement. My voice had risen several octaves as I spoke to him, making me feel silly as I ushered the Pyro forward. His once sad demeanor was soon replaced with determination as we went outside. Luckily, before he got shot, Pyro was able to collect his flamethrower from the top of a crate beside the control point. He mumbled out more nonsense before leaving me behind to go after several robots that were trying to camp out behind our respawn center.

If his flamethrower was near the control point, then surely my rifle would be there as well. Running forward, I followed the dirt path to the center of the arena. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed two dark figures in a window near the ceiling of the giant stadium. They were lounging comfortably upon some chairs, making me sneer in disgust.

_Of course they would want to watch…_ I slashed a robotic Scout with my knife, dodging a single bullet that grazed my ear. Looking towards the back of the forest-like arena, I searched diligently for the Sniper. Where could he be?

I hid behind our Heavy-Medic combo, edging forward with them towards my rifle. Everyone else had their main weapons except for me…

The moment I grabbed my weapon, a bullet was lodged deep into my skull. I knew exactly who shot me…

Clutching my head in pain, I once again ran out of the respawn room, but with my Springfield in hand this time. I took a moment to survey the arena, pondering over where the best spot to snipe would be at. Strapping my weapon to my back, I climbed a tree that was to the far right of the control point, allowing me to view not only our respawn, but the robots respawn as well.

Through my scope, I could see that a large tank was placed beside the other team's respawn, emptying at least ten robots every thirty seconds from its body. I saw the RED Spy running towards the battlefield, cloaking himself just before I could build up the courage to take him out. This is absolutely insane...

Turning my rifle back towards the control point, I saw that my team was doing quite well. Several of them were capturing the control point, which would begin our thirty minute timer on the large scoreboard located below the viewing glass that the Administrator and Gray Mann were relaxing behind. There were no robots running around, however, I did see the BLU Scout sprinting through several of my comrades, taking down our Demoman and BLU Soldier. I hesitated for a moment before I fired my shot, muttering out an apology as the Scout's head exploded into a red fountain.

Glancing up at the scoreboard, I noticed that we were beginning to pull ahead of the robots with a one minute lead, but as soon as I looked down, a swarm of Scouts were capturing the control point. My arm ached slightly as I fired and reloaded my gun at a constant rate. It was like a system…reload, aim, fire, reload, aim, fire…

At one point in time, I found Mundy staked out behind a large bush near the control point. His head was barely peeking out over the shrubbery as I watched him reload his gun. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was still himself because of how natural he looked as he fired his gun, taking out our RED Engineer. My vision became somewhat blurry as I fired my own gun, hitting him in the chest with my bullet. Memories of his dead face and wounded body flitted through my mind as I brushed away my tears, focusing on the task at hand. Now was not the time…

The robots were ahead by a good five minutes as we once again captured the control point. We still had ten minutes to go, and everyone was looking tired. A normal mission would last for about one to two hours, but all the mercenaries looked exhausted even though it had only been forty-five minutes. The number of robots seemed to have multiplied in size as time continued on, making it more difficult by the minute. I'd had my fair share of trips to the respawn room just like my comrades…

Peering through my scope, I took out a Sniper bot and some Soldiers before climbing out of my post and returning to an old hiding spot for me to stake out in. I watched as our RED Scout gave out a battle cry and lunged forward toward an emotionless RED Heavy. Using his bat, he destroyed the Heavy with tears in his eyes, but even after the Heavy was dead, he continued to bash at the Russian's large body. That poor kid...he must be emotionally torn apart on the inside…

Medic placed a hand on the young adult's shoulder, making Scout stop his relentless bashing. It was difficult to watch as the boy shook his head sadly and continued on his way, mowing down robots with his scattergun; leaving the broken body of the Heavy behind.

As our time reached the twenty-seven minute mark, I directed my rifle to the window up above us all. The two spectators were still in their original spots, looking bored with their chins resting upon their hands. I thought about sending one of my bullets into Gray Mann's skull, but decided against it. Most likely, the glass would be bullet-proof, so I wouldn't be able to harm him in any way...

The robots once again took control, pushing us back towards our side of the arena. This was going to be really close…

I hopped out of my hiding place, killing a robotic Spy with my small knife as it tried to back stab me. A feeling of fear washed over me as I sprinted towards the control point, spotting Scout and Medic trying to capture it. Pulling out my SMG, I fired in all directions, listening to the sound of the scoreboard make a ringing noise as we took over. Thirty-seconds left…

"GO! GO! GO!" Our Soldiers screamed out.

I smashed the butt of my rifle against a robot Scout's head.

Fifteen-seconds left…

A triumphant grin flashed across my face as we all moved forward, attacking with all our might._ We did it…_ Oh my God, we saved them!

As the time ran out, I watched as all of the leftover robots returned to the tank. None of our friends exited the respawn as the victory music played over the speakers, and I saw that the silhouettes of Gray Mann and the Administrator were no longer present behind the glass. I stopped smiling and froze in my spot.

I saw that a liquid was splattered against the viewing window, running down slowly as everyone cheered in victory. Did we really win?

The victory music ended suddenly as everyone stopped dancing around. What was going on?

Several of the mercenaries ran into the respawn room of our once-dead teammates, and didn't return for several minutes. The rest of us couldn't wait any longer, so we all entered inside, finding a dark and empty room.

"What the hell?" Scout said from behind me. All ten of us stood frozen in our spots as we glanced around the room. A slightly cracked door was located on the opposite side of the room, light filtering through the barley opened door.

What was going on?

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**A.N.: My grandma passed away yesterday… She lives in a different state than my family, so I won't be able to post any chapters unless I can find a computer lying around somewhere. I hope you all will understand the situation I am in, and won't lose interest just because I won't be able to post any chapters for a couple of days. I wish you all a wonderful day! **


	18. Chapter 18

**A.N.: I would like to dedicate this chapter to my grandmother. After many years of battling lung cancer, she was ready to pass on to the other world, feeling satisfied with what she had accomplished in life. I love you mamaw...until the end of the world and after.**

**malista_ticy_: My apologies for the misspelling of your name! After I read your review, I spent the rest of the day banging my head against the wall for not paying attention, and letting my brain carry me away. Also, I understand what you mean now! I decided to throw in my OC's dumb reaction because Avery is a "take action" kind of person, and it allows the reader to feel more involved, and it makes the situation more intense (no matter how cliché it was). Now, will Saxton Hale make an appearance? Hmm… never really thought about it! I may put him in just because you never see him in any fanfics… Thank you for the review, and once again I am sorry for misspelling your name!**

**The Pyromaniac Hunter: Thank you! I am delighted to know that you love my story!**

**Bronzonglover52: You'll see. :)**

**GodzillaKom: Yes, they did win! But let's see what Gray Mann has to say about it…**

**Guest #1: Thank you for the compliment!**

**Dwarfiarty: Let's just say Gray Mann isn't a very good sportsman… Thank you for the review! :)**

**Marzerin: *gasp* how did you know my plans! You're right… What kind of story would this be if there was no Sniper love? I'm glad that you are enjoying my story! :D**

**Guest #2: It's all good… but poor Scout! I hate doing this to him…T.T**

**spoonla: Thank you! You are too kind to me! I promise to finish this story…there have been moments where I thought about just giving up on the entire thing, but thanks to comments like yours, I feel motivated to continue to the end! :3**

**NightStar321: check PM**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! Well… I do own myself… *random guy walks in and whispers words in my ear before leaving*... Never mind! Apparently my mother sold me to the government so they can use my body for experimentation!**

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I felt like punching a wall when the feeling of failure filled me. The respawn room was void of any human being; the only evidence of our friends being their weapons lying on floor. Where were they?

After spending a few moments to gather ourselves, we all heard hushed murmurs coming from the cracked door...so, being the brave mercenaries that we all were, we decided who would go investigate the next room with a game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors". With crestfallen looks, Pyro, Heavy, the two Soldiers, and I were the first ones to go.

Running a hand under my hat and through my messy hair nervously, I followed behind the Heavy, my heart pounding as he peeked through the door carefully.

"Goddamnit son, let's get this show on the road!" Our Soldier grabbed the Heavy's large arm roughly, eliciting groans out of us all. The Soldier yanked the Russian out of his way, barging blindly into the room with his rocket launcher in hand. When no gunshots or explosions were heard, we all followed after the army man.

The next room we entered was tiny; at least ten feet long and twenty feet wide. It looked like a reception room with two armchairs and a coffee table. An empty vase was the only decoration in the gray room, plus several paintings and photos of two young men. Studying the portraits further, I noticed that one of the men was dressed in blue, while the other in red…interesting.

Our only evidence of anyone being here was the large, muddy footprints seen on the floor as we inspected the room. We all could tell that this room hadn't been used in a long time, for the coffee table was very dusty, and cobwebs decorated the furniture. The light we saw filtering through the crack of the door earlier was an emergency light...apparently the power must had gone out.

"Vere is everyone?" The BLU Medic asked, uneasiness coating his voice. We all turned to a wooden door, following the footprints as they all combined to form a large, dark stain in front of the entryway. Without a second thought, Medic entered through the opening, revealing a familiar hallway. This was the same hallway we traveled down as we followed Miss Pauling to meet the Administrator and Gray Mann…

We decided to split into two different groups...my group heading toward the viewing room where several of us had claimed to see the two figures observing our battle, while the other group was setting out to follow the footprints, which also lead to the meeting room where we first met Gray Mann.

The darkened hallway seemed eerie as the five of us moved forward. Scout and I led the back of the pack while the BLU Soldier confidently strutted forward in the front with his shovel raised high into the air. I focused my attention on the Scout's face, feeling more and more apprehensive with each step we took. For once, he didn't look frightened by the situation… I expected him to be shaking in his tennis shoes, and rubbing his hands together in nervousness like normal. However, a serious look adorned his face as he glided across the floor, eyes flitting in all directions for anything out of the ordinary. The battle must had snapped something within him… he wasn't the same.

As we passed several metal doors, I shuddered at the thought of what could lie behind them. A viewing window the size of my palm was the only opening on the door that we could look through, however, the rooms were pitch black. How did I not notice these before when we were passing by?

Glancing inside several of the windows, we found nothing too fascinating to take us away from our Mann hunt. No one could be found in any of the areas, which I believed frustrated us all the most…

"What happened to the electricity?" I said, my voice cracking a little from all the screaming I had done about fifteen minutes ago for the past hour. All I received were several shrugs from the men, the only sounds being made were our heavy footfalls on the linoleum floor. The viewing room was coming up on our left…

My breath hitched in my throat as the smell of blood reached my nostrils. BLU Engineer must had noticed it as well because he stopped us all before we could turn the corner.

"Ya'll smell that?" Everyone nodded their heads. Edging forward, we glanced into the room…

Blood was splattered against the glass and carpet flooring, making me shiver slightly. Walking around a black, leather couch, I shook my head sadly at the sight of the Administrator's dead body sprawled across the floor near the window. Mann must had shot her in the back of the head, for her skull was caved in where the bullet entered.

What a liar… He made a deal with the Administrator to return our friend's to us, yet when he realized he wasn't going to win...

As much as I didn't care for this woman, I still felt saddened by the sight of her dead body. I waved my comrades forward, allowing them to take a look at what happened to the old woman.

"So...do you think teammates found him?" Heavy asked.

It was a good question...I doubted that Mann would had left the building, so he must be up on the ground floor. Well...unless he was in the meeting room, waiting for us.

"We need to find the breaker room and get da power back on…who wants to come with me?" The BLU Engineer said with a sigh. He didn't look too good as he leaned against the wall; his shoulder was bloodied from the debris that latched onto his skin when a Sentry Buster nearly blew him to bits. Thin red scratches decorated his face and neck, and he walked with a slight limp due to the blast. Sadly, the Medic wasn't in our group, so he couldn't be healed right at this moment.

"I'll go." When no one volunteered immediately, I decided that I might as well go with him. The Soldier, Scout, and Heavy agreed to stay behind to watch out for anything unusual. I assumed that they would also take care of the Administrator as well...

Engineer and I made our way to a stairwell, which the only light we had to see was from the glow of a flashing red emergency light that provided us a short amount of time to see before enveloping us in darkness once more.

Although I may be a trained assassin, my childish and worst fear (other than losing the ones that are close to me) was the dark. Back in my younger days, I used to stay up all night and watch horror movies with my dad and brother… My mom always hated scary movies so she'd go to bed and leave us to our dark adventures. After watching movie after movie, I would have nightmares of ghouls and ghosts, and I always had to sleep with my door wide open where I could see the dim light in our hallway.

I was a very emotional child...hell, I'm still quite emotional now, but my dad never found me over-bearing as I would cling to his shirt when something frightening would occur...I really missed him...

"Hey, you alright?" The Engineer's smooth voice brought me out of my thoughts. We had reached the bottom of the staircase.

"Yeah...just don't like the dark." I answered him, staying close by his side as we walked around the cool, lower-level basement. He chuckled lightly, clutching his shoulder painfully as his laugh turned into a hiss of pain. I reached out to him, not touching him, but letting him know I was there for support. It was difficult to see, but I could see a smile cross his face as he looked down at me.

"Much obliged, Sniper… the only thing we've gotta worry about is upstairs right now, so don't you fret about nothin'." We moved around the cluttered room for ten minutes, bumping into wooden crates and old cardboard boxes as we searched for the circuit breaker. I eventually came upon a metal door much like the ones we passed upstairs, so I entered.

I stepped inside the room, feeling hesitant when I realized that the flashing emergency lights wouldn't be able to reach the inside, and reveal the contents of the area. Shuffling forward, I throw my arms in front of my body in order to keep myself from colliding with any walls. The room smelled funny...like old, rusty iron… After a few more steps, my hands collided with a wall that felt bumpy and had several patterns of holes strewn across it. Weird…

I shifted my body along this wall, looking for the panel that would turn the electricity back on. When I didn't find anything, I sped-walked back to the Engineer, tripping over several blocks on the way. My mind began to play tricks on me as I started jogging back to the entryway; It felt like something was breathing down the back of my calves as I increased my pace, and a tingly sensation ran up my spine as thick fingers seemed to crawl up my leg. Damn… I really needed to get over my aversion to the dark…

We traveled deeper into the dungeon like area, moving further and further away from the light. My heart pounded fiercely and my palms became sweaty as I walked beside Engineer, listening to his ragged breathing as he pushed on.

"There it is!" He said, pulling me out of my anxious state.

"Thank God…" I muttered as we walked up to a humongous box containing thousands of little buttons. Each button was labeled with different numbers and letters, making my jaw drop at the entirety of it all… How in the_ hell_ were we supposed to figure this out?

"Welp...looks like it's a AFCI breaker...I think I know why the power went out…" He said, pushing several buttons before flipping a switch at the very top of the box. I watched him work efficiently, honestly not surprised with his excellence in electronics. "Just need to reset the system..." With one more push of a button...

The lights were back on.

"You see this?" He pointed a gloved finger to a wire that was cracked.

"Yeah?"

"In old places like this, the coatin' around the wirin' becomes cracked or damaged due to the lack of insulation...Quite ironic for it to go out at a time like this..." He said simply, not bothering to jump into a major elucidation of it all. I just nodded my head dumbly, just glad to know that the lights were back on. We began our trek back to the staircase, easily navigating our way through the large area. Glancing toward the metal room, I thought about going back inside to see what that wall was, but decided against it when the thought of what happened in there crossed my mind.

"So, what do ya think about the whole kit-and-kaboodle?"

I turned to the Engineer. "About what?"

"The robots, and Gray Mann, and the respawn, and-"

"I get it now… but what do I think?" I paused for a moment, "I don't know what to think."

"Really? 'Cus I think it's just a whole bunch of hooey… I just wanna head back home an see mah wife...haven't talked to her in so long."

"Wife? What is she like?"

"Welp, Sarah doesn't know what I do for a livin', but she understands how important mah job is to me… she's the nicest person I've ever met, and she's got a smile that could just light up the entire world."

Engineer told me about his wife, and the kids that they had always wanted have. They went to many doctors, asking why they couldn't have children, and each one of them made him and his wife take tests to reveal what was wrong. It turned out that he was infertile, and that he had a low sperm count…

"-hah! I remember this one time when I packed my bags, and was preparin' to move myself out of the house when she looked at me and said, 'What the hell do ya think yer doin'?' I figured that she wouldn't want a man who was unable to fulfil her wishes as a husband, so I thought it was a good time to get goin', but gosh, was she angry! Grabbed me by the colla-" I smiled gently as he told his story, happy to see that he was opening up to me. I never would had thought of a BLU and RED exchanging personal information like good friends, especially when we barely knew each other.

In a way, I was excited to get back to battling like we used to, but I didn't want to break the bond we had with the BLUs at the same time.

"-she's stayed with me all this time...God bless her heart…" He said as we finished climbing up the steps to the upper level of the basement. I patted the man against the back gently, feeling inclined to congratulate him for finding the perfect woman. She took wedding vows to the extreme when it came to "til death do us part". I wish I could be like her one day…

BLU Engineer and I made our way back to the viewing room, our chatter quieting down as we carefully moved down the hallway. It was strangely quiet, for I was expecting the Scout or Soldier to be blabbing loudly about something. Walking into the viewing room, we saw that the area was empty, and that the Administrator's body was covered with a green blanket. No one was present, so we decided to head on back to the meeting room where our other group of comrades were at. Now that the lights were on, everything didn't seem as threatening as before, and the halls were much more welcoming. As we moved closer to our destination, loud voices were echoing through the hallway, multiplying in strength as we quickened our pace. What was going on?

"We woke up, and zen zome robots strapped us to a table...and zat's all I remember…"

I would recognize the disgusting, masculine, French accent anywhere.

Plowing through the door, I was greeted with a large amount of people…

Sixteen to be exact.

"Huddah Huddah!" I was attacked by two Pyros, surprised to find that_ both_ of them were normal. I wrapped my arms around them both, laughing giddily with happiness as we danced around together. Of course, I felt childish and silly, but they were _alive_. I grabbed the BLU Pyro, placing both my hands on either side of his mask. I stared deep into the bottomless pits where his eyes should had been, waiting for reality to snap me back into my place while he attempts to kill me.

But it doesn't happen.

I released him from my grip, watching him as he clapped his hands together with excitement. My gaze moved around the room as I looked at the cheerful faces of my teammates. The two Medics were hugging each other, speaking in German as they both patted each other on the back. The Spies and RED Engineer were discussing the situation, talking about their experiences moments after they died. And Scout…

The Scout was punching at Heavy angrily, making me move in their direction in order to stop the chaos, but I froze when I saw the Heavy grab the tearful Scout, pulling him in for a big hug.

"Did leetle baby Scout miss me? HAHAHA Heavy is glad!" I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes as I watched the two. Scout was starting to complain about how unmanly he looked at the moment, and how he wanted the Heavy to let him go. He was returning to his normal self again. It was a bittersweet reunion…

"Oi. Did ya already forget about me?"

Now the tears were really starting to fall. "Never in a million years…"

As I turned around, my eyes met with the person who I longed to see...to _feel_ for such a long time. His lanky stature and long arms seemed so welcoming as I dove into him, embracing him as tightly as I could. My hat flew off my head as I felt him lift me into the air, swinging me around gently before resting me on my feet once again. I pressed my face into the crook of his neck, enjoying his scent after not seeing him for what felt like forever. I could feel him pull away from me slightly before pressing his lips against my ear, his hot breath spilling out.

"Oi really missed ya, love…" I nodded my head in agreement, knowing that my words wouldn't be enough to express how I felt. We stood in each others arms for a long time, just stuck in our own world together. I could feel him press a light kiss against my hair, brushing his fingers through it repeatedly. My hands clutched the back of his shirt tightly, my face still buried into his chest.

I tilted my head up, gazing deeply into the dark blue orbs that watched me with just as much intensity.

"Avery, I-" I placed my hand against his mouth, shaking my head gently before pulling it away. We spoke with our eyes, telling each other how much we missed one another… I rather that we not speak with our voices, especially since verbal communication was not our best trait.

Actions were a much more powerful thing.

* * *

**A.N.: I better end it here… I thought about continuing on, but since it is 2:00 AM where I live, I should save it for another chapter. We got back from my grandma's funeral about nine hours ago, and MAN! Am I tired! Hopefully this chapter will be enough to satisfy your requests! See ya later! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**A.N.: So many reviews! Ach! I love you all so much and thank you for reviewing! We are getting pretty close to the end of the story (estimation of 3 to 5 more chapters), and it makes me sad… :( However, I have thought about creating a series of one-shots that will use the characters in this story (Avery, BLU Spy, MG, etc.). I want to know what you all think about the idea, so leave some reviews telling me what I should do next! I love listening to what you all have to say… every review is very important to me!**

**xXNiueXx: Yay! Thank you for your support as well, I truly appreciate that you care about my grandma. :)**

**TheWriter237: I'm glad that I inspired you for your next story! Thank you for reviewing! :D**

**JDeecats: T.T WAHHHH! The tears are falling! I greatly appreciate your comment! I loved writing about Scout and Heavy… They deserve a happy ending together. :D**

**Typ: Thank you very much for your heartfelt words… My family and I truly appreciate your kindness. Anyway, I'm happy that you like my story so far! We're getting close to the end, so I hope you will join me on the road to success! (Well, maybe success)**

**The Timmynator: Miss Pauling will make an appearance in this chapter, I promise! Just keep reading! :3**

**Guest: Oh no! *hands you a tissue* Don't cry! I hate it when other people cry because it makes me...want...to…cry...BAAAAWWWWWWW!**

**Dwarfiarty: I tried to get as much sleep as possible, but my dogs are on a routine bathroom schedule, so I have to wake up at six to let them go use the restroom...ugh. I hope they appreciate me because I hate having to pick up their poop! Anyway, I'm glad that you liked the chapter! :D**

**Marzerin: OMG… you must explain this further to me… lol maybe I can use your experience in a future one-shot of mine! (all credit going to you of course) **

**TF2Girl: dkaprnojeujshdciorjsupqncgelax! I would give you a hug, but I don't know where you live! (Woah...that did not come out like I wanted it to) I'm so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter! :)**

**GodzillaKom: Yay! Another successful proce- I mean chapter! Miss Pauling will make an appearance, I promise...but you never know... **

**Tf2RedScout: Thanks! It always gets awkward when a parent sees your reaction to something that you read on fanfiction... They're always like "What are you doing?", and I always end up saying "NOTHING!". Anyways, I am suuuuuuuuuuuperrrrrr excited for your SFM! You may be able to find several "lives" on eBay if you look hard enough...I know I need to search for one... Thanks for reviewing!**

**Pip: I like your guest name :3 Thank you for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: If anyone read the disclaimer… post a ":P" face at the end of your review! I don't own TF2 by the way.**

* * *

"Ah-hem...Ah-HEM!" I pulled myself away from the Sniper, a voice breaking through the walls of isolation we had placed around ourselves. The RED Soldier stood several feet from us, tapping his foot impatiently before gesturing to our awaiting comrades at the large table placed in the center of the room. They were all waiting on us.

With a sheepish smile and a scratch to the back of my head, I mumbled out a "sorry" to my teammates, feeling flustered by the emotional encounter they witnessed between Mundy and myself. I felt a large hand against my lower back as I turned to look up at the tall Australian. A gentle smile graced his lips, making me melt on the inside. With a light push forward, we made our way over to two empty seats at the end of the table, inching our chairs closer to one another afterward. I knew Mundy wasn't very experienced when it came to showing his emotions, but his light touch was enough to keep me sane, and prevent me from tackling him out of happiness. For one week, I thought he was dead… It felt like years, honestly. The only difference was that the_ surreal_ realization that he was never coming back (and that I needed to give up) never crossed my mind.

I don't think I would have ever gotten over his death (no matter how strong I considered myself to be).

"Now that we're all here… We need to discuss a few things." The RED Engineer called out from the head of the table. "Some of you may not know this, but the Administrator was found with a bullet in the back of 'er head not too long ago… Puttin' two and two together, it's obvious that we _all_ know who done it." Several pairs of eyes darted around the room, searching for clarification of his words before looking down in sadness when they were met with vocal agreements. I wished it all wasn't true, but sadly...it was.

"The situation that we've all been placed in has intensified greatly… Of course, everyone knows that we most likely will not be receivin' our pay after this, but damn it all that's not going to stop me from providin' the justice that is needed! The RED Sniper and I didn't see Gray Mann in the lower levels of this place, so I reckon he must be up on one of the upper floors...right Sniper?" The BLU Engineer turned to me, waiting expectantly for my answer. His face was no longer covered in red scratches thanks to the Medic and his Medigun.

He no longer looked like the cheerful man from thirty minutes ago, but a somber and battle-ready Texan ready to take control of all circumstances.

"Yes." I said lamely, feeling unhelpful in regard to the discussion.

"If I may…" The RED Spy said from his position against the far wall. He was carrying a cigarette in his mouth...how surprising. "Before I state my pozition, I would like to apologize to ze Sniperz… However, my sincere regretz will be expressed further in the future because at the moment, we have zomething larger to worry about." A hint of genuine dismay was evident in his voice as he directed his green gaze to both Sniper and I. A frown was placed on my lips… I was not feeling very trustworthy at the moment.

"Get on with it spook…"

"Moments after my awakening, I was met with several robotic doctors; one of them injecting a strange, golden fluid into my arm."

"How does dat have anything ta do with da old geeza?"

"Quiet child, let me finish… If my mind servez me correctly, I believe zat ze golden fluid waz a liquid version of ze Australium we tranzport via rocket, yes?" The silence in the room was unbearable as everyone (even the Scouts) were contemplating the possibility of his words being true.

"What is Australium, really?" I spoke out. I'd heard the others mention it maybe once or twice, so my knowledge on the subject was quite limited.

"It's a metal zat is extremely rare and found in Australia. It's properties allow our Engineers to create zeir teleporters; and zhe Spies, zeir cloaks. Ve used to have missions vhere ve had to deliver ze australium to a man named Poopy Joe...but ve stopped doing zose several years ago when we found out zat zome our men vouldn't respawn due to ze effects of ze Australium." Our Medic answered.

"Wait… I don't understand. If Australium is in our equipment, then why do we still respawn?" I questioned.

"Vhen ve transported ze Australium, it vas in its early stages of life. It's original form is zat of a golden bar, but ze Australium ve moved vas encased in a strange vial…" Medic said. All of this was so confusing...even the doctor himself seemed puzzled by his own words. Low mumbling reverberated through the room as we all discussed the possibilities of the Australium still moving in the blood streams of half our comrades. I turned my head slightly to look at the BLU Sniper. He was staring at his fingers, thinking silently to himself as he poked at a large, circular scar near the crevice of his elbow.

"Continuing on… I doubt zat Mr. Mann would have let us out of our previous state zo easily… My hypothezis is zat ze power outage waz ze reason why we were released from his control."

"Spy is right…and if da old man sees dat we are no longer being brainwashed, he may send us unda again!" The BLU Scout jumped up from his chair, pounding his fist angrily against the table. Groans emitted from the mouths of the mercenaries in the room. I couldn't tell if they were annoyed with the Scout's over-dramatic reaction, or if they knew that he was right.

"So what are we going to do?"

"You all have nothing to worry about." Our heads snapped toward the entrance of the room. Everyone equally surprised when a dirtied, and hurt Miss Pauling stood in the doorway.

"Miss Pauling!" Our Scouts ran forward toward the woman, growling at each other for a few seconds before focusing their attention on the tired assistant of the late Administrator.

"Now that your employer is dead, you have no reason to risk your life for this company. Granted, if Gray Mann wins, he may use the Australium to take over the world, but the government will take care of that… I ask that you all keep this a secret from the public." The young woman limped towards our table, gladly taking the RED Scout's seat next to the RED Heavy. Pulling a pen out of her breast pocket, she proceeded to take notes on a small sheet of paper.

"Australium? Is that why he tried to kill us? So he can use that stuff to power up his weapons?"

"Well...not just that. Although I wasn't allowed to tell everyone this before, I believe the Administrator would agree with me that you all deserve to be aware. About eighty years ago, your late employer Blutarch hired an engineer to create a machine that would make him live _forever_, so he could outlast his brother, Redmond Mann, and take over this land. But...a woman named Elizabeth secretly convinced the same engineer to build another machine for Redmond. Because of her actions, the Mann brothers were forever sentenced to fight each other for eternity."

It was all so hard to believe...but all evidence seemed to fit in perfectly with what Miss Pauling was telling us. She continued on to inform us about Gray Mann's appearance and his announcement that he murdered his brothers...ultimately wanting to gain control of the land and Australium hidden there.

"So his motive for doing_ everything_, was so then he could power his everlasting, mumbo-jumbo MACHINE!"

"Yes Soldier…that's why…"

"Why are we still sitting here?! C'mon LADIES! LET'S MOVE MOVE MOVE!" The Soldiers stood from their chairs, grabbing their rocket launchers, and charging out of the door. Their shouts echoed down the hall, becoming increasingly quieter as they ran clumsily. What a bunch of idiots… we didn't even know where Gray Mann was.

"Are you all willing to fight? I may be able to scrounge up a couple bucks somewhere…" Miss Pauling said quietly. She looked down at her hands, rubbing them together before clapping them lightly. The BLU Scout placed his hand upon her shoulder, his brown eyes shining with determination.

"Pssh! We'd be up for anythin' if it will help ya!" He said, all of us agreeing with his words. Miss Pauling grinned brightly, pushing forward the piece of paper she was writing on earlier. On the sheet was messy drawings of what looked like a layout of the basement floor.

"I know for sure that Mr. Mann is currently_ not_ in the building; he needs to gather more reinforcements before he can return to collect the Australium, which is located one floor below us. I recommend that you all take a break for the night and relax in our guest rooms upstairs… You all are going to need it…"

Cheers erupted through the room; many of the men grabbing their weapons, and asking for directions to the nearest kitchen. As I watched the Medics take care of Miss Pauling, I listened to the Scout's battle over who got to stay in the same room as the assistant. I chuckled lightly to myself, shivering when I felt Mundy's hand run up my spine. Whispering gently, he stood from his chair, saying that he was going to go take a shower. I watched his long, lean legs take him out of the room, my mind enjoying this newfound romance between the two of us.

Several more of our comrades left, leaving just Miss Pauling and I alone. I wanted to stay behind because I had a question I needed to ask her…

"What will happen after all of this is over?"

"...I don't know." She said, cracking the bones in her back. "Wow, the Medics did a great job!"

"No… I want to know. What will happen if we win?" I could tell she was trying to avoid my questions…

"If we win? Well… I still don't know. It all depends on what _you guys_ want." She said, pushing her glasses up onto the bridge of her nose.

"I don't know what you mean…"

"Do you want to go home? Do you want to leave the country and go find another job? Do you want to stay here?" She clarified, collecting her pen and the piece of paper that were left on the table.

"..." I never really thought about what would happen if we won and defeated Gray Mann. Most of the time, I was thinking about what would happen if we _didn't_ win…

I followed after the assistant, trailing silently behind her as my thoughts flooded my mind. I couldn't risk leaving Team Fortress Industries, or then_ they_ may find me…

We were at the bottom of a staircase that would lead to the upper floors. Loud cheering was heard upstairs before shifting into laughter. I've been smiling more often ever since I learned that my teammates were safe and alive, and this moment wasn't any different. Suddenly, noisy explosions rang through our ears, resulting in an airy laugh from Miss Pauling.

"If you don't mind Miss Williams… Could you go find the Soldiers and tell them to come inside? I've got some business I need to take care of…"

* * *

As the day went on, most of the mercenaries spent a lot of time catching up on things that they missed. Many rounds of poker were played due to the lack of knowledge for any other card game (minus "Go Fish!").

The refrigerator contained surprisingly large amounts of chicken, and the pantry carried several boxes of foreign chocolate bars and potatoes. So, being the creative mercenaries that we are, the Pyros, Engineers, BLU Spy, and myself whipped up some fried chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner. It felt awkward being near the BLU Spy, especially after what happened. Whenever we would pass by each other or accidentally touch, we would flinch away from one another and try to act like it never happened. For the entire night, she would send many looks (full of an emotion I couldn't recognize) in my direction…

I shouldn't be worrying about her at the moment though… now is my time to relax, and take a break from my life…

"Aye! Doncha rememba where it was at?"

"No, how am I supposed ta know where you keep yer shit?!"

"Language…"

"Yeah, yeah…"

We were all currently sitting at the dinner table; our plates empty and our bellies full. Conversation was passing lively between us all… It felt great to be like this again…

The RED Demoman was practically strangling the RED Scout now. He was angry because the young adult refused to tell him where he placed his pirate hat.

"I letcha borrow it two days before the bloody robots came! How could ya lose it!" The Demoman released the Scout from his hold, seething with anger as the boy coughed and held up his hands.

"I didn't know it was dat important to ya! Geez… It's back at da base… Well, I think it is."

"YA THINK?!"

"Ok, leetle babies need to calm down." The RED Heavy came over and picked up the Scout before Demo could reach him. "It's time for bed, baby Scout…"

"I don't wanna go!"

I felt like I was watching a child being scolded in a supermarket; I kind of wanted to watch, but I pretended to ignore it. However, watching Heavy carry the young adult away over his shoulder was too funny to pass up on.

"Don't forget your pacifier, baby Scout!" I called out teasingly, knowing that he wouldn't take it personally.

"Shut up!"

I snorted as the two disappeared down the hall towards their room, imagining Heavy tucking the Scout into bed while reading him a bedtime story… It felt so good to laugh…

Speaking of the rooming situation... Hours ago, we learned that there were only ten guest rooms in the building, so some of us had to double up. We thought about doing it based on class, but the Scouts and Soldiers made a really big deal about it, so we decided to switch things up. I was about to walk up to our Pyro and ask him if he wanted to room with me until I felt a tap on my shoulder before I could get to him. Surely enough, when I turned around, a blush crept forward on my face when I saw Mundy's smile. My reaction was enough to say that I wanted to room with him.

"Uh...excuze me, Sniper." I jumped out of my thoughts. Crazy ideas of everyone being able to read my mind flitted through my head, but I soon brushed it off. Turning in my chair, I saw that it was the BLU Spy.

"Yes?" I said.

"Oh...um-Would you pleaze join me in ze kitchen zo I may talk to you in private?" My eyes darted over to the BLU Sniper who was listening to the Medic rave over his latest experiment. As if he could sense my distress, he looked over in our direction, watching the Spy with narrowed eyes while somewhat paying attention to the Medic.

"Uh-sure?" My statement sounded more like a question. Standing from my chair, I followed the dark-haired woman into the kitchen, my mind pulling me into multiple directions. Was she going to hurt me? I still have my kukri strapped to my back, so I'm not going in completely blind.

Checking the clock on the oven, I noticed that it was nearing twelve o'clock at night, triggering a yawn from my mouth. The Spy gracefully turned her body toward me, leaning against the counter as my fingers twitched for my knife.

Her eyes moved down to my hand, processing my actions quickly. "I promise to not 'urt you."

I scoffed at her statement.

"Really… The reazon I called you in 'ere was zo I could apologize for my childish actions…" She twiddled her thumbs nervously, revealing a side to her that I had never seen before. "Instead of dealing with my problems like a professional Spy… no, a mature _woman_… I rezorted to violenze and idiocy." Her gaze drifted downwards to the floor. I crossed my arms promptly over my chest, not buying a single word that she was saying.

"Why?" I asked.

"Excuze moi?"

"Why did you do it..?"

"Do you really want to know?" She avoided my piercing gaze.

"Would I be asking if I didn't want to know?" I retorted.

She sighed deeply, brushing her hair away from her eyes. "Um...it...well- I didn't like you."

Heartily, I laughed. "Well, I would've guessed that on my own," It was funny how I felt angry, yet I was smiling at a time like this, "Now tell me the _real_ reason."

"That was the reason…" She blinked her eyes rapidly, acting as if she were surprised by my accusation.

"Look spook...It's really late, and I want to be wide awake and full of energy when Mann comes back so we can kick his ass, so stop wasting my time, or I'm just going to head to my room." I turned on my heel, sauntering towards the entrance.

"Wait! I'll-uh-tell you...but no one elze must know of zis!" I immediately faced her, prompting her to tell me more with a nod of the head.

"Yes?"

"I was...jealous."

I laughed once more.

"_Jealous_?! HAH! Now I definitely know you're pulling my leg!"

"Let me explain… When I waz a woman of your age, I lived in a large town in Canada zat waz full of many men… No matter 'ow many times I tried, not a zingle one would court me because zey all zought I waz..._weird_."

"Ok? Are you expecting me to pity you?"

"No No No! I don't expect you to do anything...just listen. Now, it may be hard to believe, but I waz not one of ze "prettiest of ze bunch"; I believe zat is how you Americans zay it. Anywayz, zere waz one boy who I really liked, and one day he asked me out to a party...of course I couldn't zay no to him, zo I went…"

The woman paused to take a shaky breath as she reminisced over her past. Surprisingly, her story seemed quite realistic, but that was to be expected from a spook…

"When I got zere, many of ze girls gossiped about me, but all of zat didn't matter because I waz with one of ze most amazing boys in ze world...nothing could stop me. But of course, everyzing never zeems to go my way, for halfway through the night… I waz…" Tears were falling down her face now as her shaky voice came to a halt. Her mascara ran steadily down her face with her tears.

"You don't have to say it." I grabbed a napkin from a bin and passed it to the woman… Was she telling the truth?

Her lips trembled as she continued her horrific story, "The boy pulled me into a closet, muttering ze sweetest things into my ear as he promised me zo many things. He painted me zis_ picture_ of an everlasting ecstazy zat he, and only he, could provide. You must understand 'ow I felt… A girl, who waz alwayz alone, waz finally given a chance to be happy for once...but his promisez of long-term happiness were just liez… The day I found out I waz with child, I waz zo happy, but when I told_ him... _Well, let's just zay he wazn't too happy. I had an abortion zeveral monthz later..."

I could feel something wet on my cheeks. She has to be lying.

"Anywayz… Later on, when I met ze Sniper for ze first time, I knew...I knew zat he waz ze one for me. He waz alwayz kind to me; never once calling me a name, or treating me like an object instead of a person. He waz just at my fingertipz...and then you came along...sweeping everyzing I had worked so hard for up into a storm. I did what I thought would make thingz right...to take back what I considered waz rightfully mine...but you alwayz zeemed to 'ave some kind of _trick_ up your sleeve." Her voice quivered as she hiccupped loudly. "You mu-must understand… I was a desperate old woman being outdone once again by a pretty, young girl! I-I am zo zorry for what I have done to you…"

Her legs moved her towards a small, plastic chair in the corner of the room, collapsing as her bottom was planted firmly against the seat. Repeating her apologies over again, she drove her face deep into her palms, sobbing loudly as her curtain of glossy hair shielded her puffy, red eyes from my view.

No...She was lying.

There was no way…

She was _just like me._

I knew exactly how she felt…

The Pain. The Dejection. The Isolation.

_Everything_.

Without another word, I left the French woman to her memories of melancholy, bumping into the large frame of the Sniper as I left the kitchen. He looked down at my face, eyes widening in questioning.

_Did she hurt you?_

I shook my head.

I felt his arm wrap around my shoulder, guiding me towards our room down the hall.

"Oi think it's about time we hit the hay…"

* * *

He held me. Tightly to his chest as I cried. I felt so weak…

I cried for my teammates.

I cried for Mundy.

I cried for the BLU Spy.

I didn't cry for myself though… I didn't deserve the tears.

At one point in time, my emotions were reaching their peak as I began to doubt myself.

"Why aren't you still mad at me?"

For a few moments, it was silent, making me think that my companion was sound asleep, or that he didn't understand what I meant. He eventually answered though…

"Oi've already done everything Oi could to make me feel better… There's nothin' else Oi can do but to give in."

"Give in?"

"Give in to temptation."

"...I'm still confused."

"Oi love you, Avery."

"...Really? What does it feel like?"

"Yeah...Oi don't know how to explain it. Oi'm not used to this mushy stuff…"

"Just try."

"...It's just that-well...sorry."

"Take your time."

We held each other for what felt like hours.

"You've completely turned mah world upside down… Oi've told ya things that Oi would've never shared with anyone else, and no matta how borin' Oi could be, ya still wanted to hear more about me. Never have ya made me feel like Oi was not good enough...instead ya build me up and show me the things about myself that make me different and special. Oi can be myself and not worry about what you will think o' me because ya like me for who Oi am…"

I laughed lightly. "That's the most I've ever heard you say in one paragraph…"

His chest vibrated as he chuckled as well.

"I love you, Robert Mundy."

"Are you sure? 'Cause that's somethin' that ya can't take back…"

"I am positive. Nothing will change my mind."

"..."

"Where will we go after all of this is done?"

"Hmm...Never really thought about it… Oi suppose that as long as we're together it will be ok… Oi don't care where we go."

"Wherever we go…"

With those words said, we slowly drifted off to sleep.

For once in my life… I didn't have any nightmares, nor did I have a dream.

I slept soundly.

* * *

**A.N.: Man...We are getting so close to the end! I think it's about time that I "hit the hay"...sadly, I don't have anyone to hold except for my dog though... Please review after you've read this! :D I hope you all have a nice day!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A.N.: Man! I just realized how cliché my ending was last chapter...oh well! At least it gives me the butterflies when I read it! :3**

**Typ: Yay! I'm happy to know that you are excited for the ending! I have soooo many ideas for my one-shots that I cannot wait to use! Thanks for reviewing! :D**

**Good Anon Reader: I LOVE YOU! The Spy's motives have finally been revealed...and it seems I did a good enough job with explaining it :). I am super appreciative for your dedication to my story, and thank you for reviewing! DERP.**

**Snippington: Thanks so much! (You have a cool guest username by the way :3)**

**Dwarfiarty: Woohoo! We are getting close to the end, so I'll try to put out my chapters as quick as I can (without ruining the story of course)! Thank you. :)**

**Marzerin: I can't wait for your "maze story"! I enjoy just taking my reader's emotions, and tossing them around like crazy! As bad as that sounds, it is quite effective. :)**

**GodzillaKom: If you listen to the Medic's voice overs, he'll say "Another successful procedure…" That was what I was referring to...sorry for the confusion! Special thanks to you for staying with me this entire time! :D**

**Derpyguest: Is the BLU Spy good? It depends on what you think… we will never know if she was telling the truth or not (well, if she wants to tell us). If you believe her, then the question is: Are you willing to forgive her? Thank you for reviewing, and congrats on the new profile! :)**

**xXNiueXx: I'm sorry, but like Avery said, "all good things must come to an end...however, sometimes they are replaced with something even better." Thanks for reviewing!**

**Dhamfear: Good job on catching my disclaimer! *bows down* You are the only person who read it. Thank you so much for reviewing; I'm glad that you are enjoying my story! **

**Noot: I thought about creating a sequel, but decided against it due to the lack of personal time. I will have plenty of time for my one-shots though! :D Thank you!**

**KingSuperPimp: You have so many wonderful ideas! Thank you so much for them all! I will consider using some, however, I have a vision of how I want the rest of my story to go. Also, Coal Town is my favorite MvM map. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TF2.**

* * *

I awoke in the early morning hours, greeted by an empty bedside. Figuring that Mundy was out using the restroom, I covered my face with my pillow in an attempt to fall back asleep. I noticed that the bed sheets were nowhere to be found as I tossed and turned, trying to drift back into my dreamless land of subtlety. After a few minutes of just rolling around, I gave up on the idea, and decided to head to the kitchen. It was good while it lasted…

I stumbled down the hall towards the cafeteria, honestly unsurprised to find no one present. Yesterday was one hell of a day...and today wouldn't be any different. Well...depending on what Gray Mann wanted.

As much as I hated to admit this to myself... Feelings of helplessness would always enter my body as I thought about how much power and control Mann had over the situation...

I ambled over to the bathrooms, opening the door to the Men's room hesitantly. "Mundy?" I called out, listening for any signs of movement in the area. No response reached my ears, so I strolled over to the kitchen, bumping into several chairs strewn across the floor in a pile. I smiled to myself, remembering what happened last night between the Pyros… The two were aiming to build a fire with the wooden seats and some cooking oil, but the RED Medic was able to stop them before they could burn down the place.

_Click. Click. Click._

_What was that noise?_ I thought, forgetting all about my mumbling pyromaniacs in a matter of seconds. I froze, refusing to move my feet before I could identify the object creating the noise. Most likely, I was probably overreacting, but after all I'd been through, I wasn't taking the chance.

I waited for a few moments, listening intently for the clicking noise.

_Click. Click. Click. _I made a complete half-turn, squinting my eyes as I peered down a dark hall on the opposite side of the room. My stomach leaped into my throat as I became entranced with the dark hallway, preparing myself for something to leap out and attack.

"Sniper… I swear to God, if you're trying to repeat what happened back at your van, I am going to hurt you!" I called out threateningly, my voice sounding irritated. I wished for the Aussie to just come out, laughing loudly and shouting about how scared and silly I looked…

But it never happened.

The clicking noises were now resounding through the room at a slow tempo, increasing in sound the longer it continued on. My mind kicked into hyper drive as I ran over to the pile of chairs, breaking off a leg to use it as a club. Thoughts of the RED Spy and his sick games crossed my mind, each click sending me further and further into the dark abyss of torture. My eyes flitted in all directions as the noises moved from one side of the room to another, my skills as a mercenary vanishing from my mind as fear took over my body.

_Click. Click. CLICK._

Grabbing my head in frustration, I focused my gaze solely on the dark hallway. I was now starting to realize that I wasn't afraid of the dark itself, but what was_ in_ it. I desperately wanted the noise to go away, but plugging my ears wasn't going to help. The clicks grew louder and louder with each passing moment until it sounded as if it were right behind. I didn't dare to move, but the unpleasant emotions that were filling my body urged me to lunge forward.

Then suddenly, the moment I felt something brush itself against my back, the clicking stopped.

I ran faster than ever before in my life, sprinting straight into the dark hallway as I frantically searched for a way out. Everything was silent except for the heavy footfalls of my bare feet against the white, linoleum floor. My blond hair flew wildly behind me, and my low-cut, tan pants refused to coöperate with me as I ran blindly through the darkness. It felt as though something were breathing on my heels as I forced my legs to pump me forward even faster than before.

_There!_ A sliver of white was outlined brightly by the darkness of the room, relief flooding through my veins at the thought of salvation from this animal, but I wasn't safe yet…

I cried out when I felt something latch onto my calves, causing me to trip and fall ungracefully on my face. Scooting backwards, I stumbled up to my feet, kicking sporadically at what was in front of me. The moment I felt my heel connect with solid matter, I turned and sprinted out of the Head Quarters, grinning brightly as I stepped out into (what I remembered) the beautiful and alluring tropical front yard. However…

It wasn't the attractive oasis anymore…

It was a hellhole…

Smoke rose lazily from the destroyed tanks that were leaking fuel, causing flames to ignite and burn down the pretty palm trees set up in front of the loading dock. The once green and luscious grass was now a light gray color due to the ash that decorated the ground. Robot parts were strewn across the ashen grass along with electrical wires and gears.

A flash of blue caught my eye in the pile of destruction.

Glass and metal tore at the soles of my feet as I ran over, finding the expired body of the BLU Scout, his face torn up from the debris, and a gaping hole in the middle of his chest…

How could I have slept through the entire battle?! I searched the grounds for any sign of life, but all I received was heartache and disappointment when the bodies of my recently saved teammates turned up. It hadn't even been one full day, and they were all once again taken away from me!

"MUNDY!" I shouted, listening as my voice echoed out into the desert along with the sounds of crackling from the fire. The air was putrid and it was hard to breath as the smell of fuel and death overwhelmed my nostrils.

I screamed for the Sniper once more, praying that he wasn't among the bodies of our comrades.

"Avery?!" A voice echoed out from behind a burning tank. I gasped for air, jogging over to the pile of junk in a sad attempt to find him.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" I yelled out, waiting impatiently for his answer as I rubbed my eyes in pain thanks to the smoke.

"Over here!" His voice yelled from a different direction. I trekked through the massive area, tripping over many objects with agitation. I looked and looked, becoming more distraught with each passing minute. I coughed loudly, avoiding several burning robots and a burning human body… I didn't even _want_ to find out who it was.

"Quit moving around! I can't help you if-" My wheezing increased as I fought for air, spotting him far off into the desert. He was waving me forward with his rifle, shouting something that I couldn't hear. Dodging several objects, I sprinted forward, panting with each step I took.

As I moved closer to him, I noticed he was missing his hat and aviators, and his body was covered in ash… But, my moment of brief reassurance had ended when his head exploded into many bits of skin and blood. I screamed loudly, dropping onto my hands and knees as I watched his body drop to the ground. Pounding my fists, I let my tears drench my face in sadness, angry at myself for not being there from the very beginning. _Why?!_

"I win..." My face stayed plastered against the ground.

"Go to hell, you bastard…" I muttered out, knowing _exactly_ who was talking to me.

I could_ hear_ the sadistic smirk in his voice. "You of all people should know by now that there are no happy endings in life, Miss Williams."

_Click._

My eyes widened.

"Farewell."

He pulled the trigger.

* * *

I jerked up from my spot in bed, panting heavily as the realization that I was no longer out in the desert with Mann hit me like a wrecking ball. I rest my face into my palm, rubbing my head in frustration.

"So much for a good night's rest…" I mumbled out, glancing over at the sleeping man beside me. It calmed me to look at him; It was nice to see how relaxed and tranquil his face was when he slept... he always seemed to have a permanent frown on his lips when he was awake...

Reaching over to him, I was about to trace his jaw with my finger, but then his mouth opened slightly, making me think that he was awake.

_ZZZZZZ…_ I snorted loudly as he let out the loudest snore I had ever heard. He always seemed to find a way on how to ruin a moment…

"Old fart…" I muttered out my nickname for him, smiling to myself when his nose wrinkled up in annoyance before straightening out. Sliding out from underneath the covers, I pulled on my vest and boots, taking note of the daylight outside. We needed to start patrolling the area, so then we could keep an eye out for any surprise attacks by Gray Mann.

Deciding to let Mundy sleep for a little longer, I headed toward the cafeteria, glad to see several of my teammates chatting with one another while eating some...chocolate bars?

"Chocolate?" I asked, making my presence known to the table's occupants. The BLU Medic explained to me about the lack of food here in the facility due to how many people actually stayed here. All we had left was the leftover chocolate bars from last night…

"We need to go out into town and pick up some food." Miss Pauling called from her seat at the end of the table. She was currently taking notes on her clipboard… I wonder what for? "Who wants to come with me?"

Nearly everyone present smiled brightly and rose their hands.

Miss Pauling sighed, "Well, we can't have everyone going… I only have room for four other people."

"Why don't we take the limo?"

"Well, the Administrator doesn't like it when…nevermind...if we take the limo, you all must promise to be on your best behavior."

And just like that, we had made arrangements to drive to a local town. Half of us would have to stay behind to keep watch, which sort of made me feel bad. This was something that _everyone_ needed; a slight break away from our war to appreciate the simple joys in life. I used to hate going grocery shopping with my mother, but now, it was a blessing.

"Is leetle Sniper hungry? Heavy has chocolate for Sniper to eat." I faced the RED Heavy, smiling brightly in his direction. Accepting the chocolate bar, I sat down next to the giant Russian, chatting idly with my teammates.

"Have you talked to your family yet, Heavy?" I questioned, taking a small bite of chocolate. Man, I haven't had this stuff in soooo long… I remember what my mom told me about eating chocolate, and how I should never eat it because it was unhealthy; however, my father taught me to never feel guilty when eating the delicious food. When I was a teenager, I didn't understand what he meant, but now that I'm older, it made a lot more sense: Chocolate isn't like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant. And it always feels good.

"No, Heavy does not want to say anything until after all craziness is over." He said, standing up from his chair to head back to his room to wake up the Scout. I nodded my head in understanding for his reason. We weren't sure if the respawn would work since we all _technically_ wouldn't be fighting in an arranged battle.

Finishing off my chocolate bar, I headed over to the bathroom, asking everyone if there were shower stalls inside. Thankfully, Miss Pauling informed me that there were indeed showers, along with toothbrushes and razors. According to her, she said that in order for them to keep HQ a secret from the outside world, they disguised the building as a hotel, and claimed that its purpose was to help out lonely travelers.

With a simple "thanks" I left for the restrooms, slightly disappointed by how unsanitary they were, but glad that there was running water. Back at the base, the waterline underground was knocked loose by the robots, so we all had to save up on water, which required us all to take five-minute, cold showers...even some of the men had to shower together because of our water shortage…

Grabbing several towels, I entered a shower stall, waving my arms around inside to double-check for any peeping Spies before discarding my dirty clothes, and turning on the hot water. But as I dropped my stuff, I noticed a small, silver object slide out from my pant pocket. Reaching down, I smiled happily when I remembered it was the small teardrop necklace Mundy bought for me. I placed the chain around my neck, locking it into place while admiring its beauty. Thank God I didn't lose it...

I laughed giddily, singing a little tune while the warm water splashed against my skin. I shaved my legs with the razor that was provided for me, cutting myself only once on the upper thigh. I was amazed at how long it had been since I last shaved my body, but it felt great to be able to run my hands along my skin without the prickly feeling of my hair obscuring the softness of it.

I watched as the blood from my cut ran down the drain, several disturbing thoughts entering my mind as I thought about my nightmare from last night. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before; it all seemed so real…

Turning off the shower head, I patted myself dry with my towel and wrapped my blond hair up with it. Since I had no other clothes, I wore the ones I came here in, wishing that I had an extra set, so I wouldn't smell so bad. Walking out of the restroom, I was met with half of my friends; all of them crowding around Miss Pauling as she passed out- Oh! New sets of clothes. Wow…perfect timing!

"Hey, toots! Or should I say "towelhead"?" The RED Scout slapped me on the shoulder, stepping forward to grab his clothes from Miss Pauling. I laughed lightly as I watched him wrap his arm around Miss Pauling's shoulder, pulling her closer to his stinky and sweat-covered body. Her nose scrunched up as she looked up at him, shrugging his arm off of her gently. The Scout frowned deeply, his blue eyes shining with disappointment while Miss Pauling told him to go change his clothes and take a shower as nicely as she could:

"Come back after you've changed, ok Scout? If you want, I'll let you ride up front with me on our way to Teufort?"

Almost immediately, the young kid's face brightened, I light blush spreading across his cheeks. Without another word, The Scout was gone.

"You know he's crazy about you, right?" I laughed.

"Don't remind me...I think _both_ of them are like that because they've known me longer than any other girl here...but they're always chasing after girls, so I won't let it bother me." She answered, handing me my clean outfit, which was the exact same as my old uniform.

"You'd be surprised…" I said, drifting away from the confused assistant to head back to my room and wake up Mundy. I wasn't sure if he had gotten his clothes yet…

It felt weird, but also amazing to know that he was alive. One week was far too long...

Without a second thought, I entered through the door, a large blush creeping over my face when I saw that he _had indeed_ collected his clothes from Miss Pauling, and he was changing… _right now_. For one second I stood dumbfounded in the doorway staring at his bare chest before slamming the door shut in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry!" I yelled, shooting a glare at the BLU Scout who was walking by, snickering in amusement.

"No worries, mate. Oi should have locked tha door…" He called out, his voice muffled by the wall in between us. I leaned against the white entrance, diving my face into my hands while I waited patiently for the man to finish getting dressed. My cheeks felt warm as the image of a shirtless Sniper crossed my mind… My face was probably going to be stuck like this for the rest of the day...probably week.

"Ah!" I cried out when the door opened from behind me, causing my body to fall backwards and collide with Mundy. Holding me up, he placed me back on my feet, letting his hands linger for a moment before letting me go. I turned around to face him (I was still amazed by how tall he was), and smiled at his wild hair. He looked as if he just walked in front of a turbine based on how his brown strands were pointing in different directions. Gesturing him forward with my hands, I reached up and smoothed back his hair in a poor attempt to tame the wild heap.

"Ah piss… Where's my hat?" He said, going back inside the room to search for it. I followed after him, throwing my clean clothes onto the bed and pulling my wet hair out of the towel I had wrapped around it. Combing my fingers through my strands, I sat on the bed, smiling at the flustered Sniper as he ran around the room.

"Check under the nightstand." I told him, watching as he laid down on the floor, disappearing under the mattress before throwing his hand up into the air. Sure enough, his trophy belt was there. "Guess that old age is finally catching up with you, huh?"

"You just wait, sheila… One day, that pretty face of yers and that smart mouth are gonna get ya in trouble!" He said, hoisting himself off the floor. I grinned stupidly at him… I really missed doing this…

For several seconds, the Sniper stared at me as if he were waiting for me to say something. I gestured to my uniform sitting on the bed, a light blush crossing his face as his deep blue eyes calculated what I was waiting for him to do. With a nervous chuckle and an apology, he left the room.

It was a quick and speedy process when I changed my clothes. The only thing that was wrong with it was that the red tank top was a little too tight on me. Running a hand through my hair, I decided to leave it down for the day, and placed my sun hat over top of it. Tucking my necklace underneath my vest, I choose to keep it hidden so then I wouldn't lose it.

Walking out of the room, I was glad to see that Mundy was waiting on me…

We went to the kitchen, seeing everyone all cleaned up and looking nice. I felt kind of bad for several of the mercenaries as they volunteered to stay behind and watch the building… They were missing out on what I considered quite the opportunity.

"The car is out in the loading docks, so you all can head outside. I need to grab my purse…" Miss Pauling said, turning towards the guest room hallways. "Oh! And don't forget, if the citizens of Teufort ask any questions, just tell them that we are apart of a foreign military band, and please… don't cause any trouble…" She focused her gaze on the RED Soldier before leaving the room, eliciting cheers from half the men as they walked in the opposite direction of the woman.

"Ya comin'?" I felt Mundy place a hand on my shoulder.

"I have to go talk to Miss Pauling… You go on ahead." I said, resting my hand upon his own for a moment before striding away. I stood outside her door, leaning against the wall as I listened to her stumble around in her room. It sounded like she was searching for something (most likely her purse)...

"Oh! Hello, Sniper." I looked up at the short woman, surprised to find her stuffing a pistol into her bag before closing it. She noticed my bewildered expression, chuckling as we moved down the hall. "It's a bad habit...I always bring my gun with me wherever I go."

We waved good-bye to the mercenaries playing cards at the table, Miss Pauling promising them that we would be back as soon as we could. Guiding me through the hallways, we walked in silence as I tried to muster up the courage to ask her my question.

"After this, I need to contact the old CEO of Mann Co., and make arrangements for the Administrator's funeral." Miss Pauling blurted out. I figured she felt awkward with the silence between us...

"...Who was the old CEO of Mann Co.?" I asked curiously. I always figured that the Mann brothers owned the place…

"Mr. Saxton Hale of Australia. He was kicked out of his position when Gray Mann showed up."

"Oh."

We exited the building, finding seven other mercenaries fighting over the seating arrangement in the back of the large, black limo. I watched as the RED Scout confidently walked over to the front passenger seat, childishly sticking his tongue out at the Medic while he climbed inside and locked the door.

Miss Pauling was digging through her purse, asking me to hold her gun and case of knives while she searched for the car keys.

"There they are!" She said, holding out a giant key ring with at least one hundred different keys on it. Taking her things out of my hands we circled around the limo toward the driver side… Now was my chance.

"Can I ask question?"

"...Sure."

"Do we really need to go into town for food? Or are we going just because?" I knew there had to be food somewhere in the base... Miss Pauling was probably hiding the fact.

Miss Pauling sat in her seat, smiling gingerly toward me, "Just because."

"Thank you, Miss Pauling."

"No...thank _you;_ you all deserve the break."

* * *

**A.N.: This chapter is all about giving our mercenaries more time to relax before Gray Mann returns, and the next chapter will most likely be the same way (haven't decided yet). I have good news though! I decided to add something to my story, so we have even **_**more**_** chapters than expected coming up! Please review! Thanks. :D**


	21. Chapter 21

**A.N.: Another relaxation chapter… Nothing too big… Maybe. :) Oh, and hey! My good friend, Dwarfiarty has posted his new story "The Storm Rises". You all should go check it out! **

**xXNiueXx: Thank you very much! :) I try to keep the characters in character as much as possible, however the only character I was forced to make OoC was the RED Spy… In order for him to take part, I had to turn him into a sadistic pervert (when really he is a pretty cool guy). I feel slightly bad for doing that to him. :(**

**kainarisalzabaar: Aww, I'm sorry! If it makes you feel any better... I just added in several scenes to my story line so it would last longer. Thank you for reviewing!**

**Typ: *dances around as well* Reading reviews like yours make me so happy… Thanks so much!**

**Tf2RedScout: I hated that too! When a character sees their romantic interest flashing some skin, and then suddenly the two are rolling around with one another.**

**Derpyguest: Thank you for reviewing, and you're welcome. :)**

**Dwarfiarty: I wanted my readers to think it was a dream, but I also tried to drop some hints along the way so then they would be like "Ooooooooh…" after they have read the entire dream. It seems as though my plan has worked on you, my friend! :D**

**GodzillaKom: You have so many wonderful ideas! Merasmus and Soldier meeting would be hilarious! Hmm…**

**KingSuperPimp: No worries, mate! I love it when people give me ideas, so I can make my story better. I think the schizophrenic idea is good; however, I have to try my best and keep Gray Mann in character. Towards the end of the story, I may use your idea, but no promises… And a shootout at Teufort… Oooooh…**

**trainliketrain: Oh yeah?! Your review is FIVE BILLION STARS OUT OF 5! Thank you so much! :)**

**Marzerin: It's ok! Take your time. And you made me laugh hard when I read the last part of your message… I wonder what a x10 version of Avery's reaction would look like…**

**Disclaimer: No Team Fortress for me.**

* * *

I remember how boring the car ride was to the supermarket when I was little. My mom would spend most of the excursion complaining about the economy, and talking about politics; stuff that I never understood at a young age. While she was busying herself with her worries about our world, I would utilize the time I had to stare out the window, watching as the scenery would pass by in a familiar blur. My family and I used to live in a suburban town, so the store was a meer five minutes away from our house…

Honestly...I would prefer the five minutes of ennui over this road-trip full of _abuse_.

The car drive at first wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, considering the men were practically melting in their seats because of their excitement levels. But of course, I would soon learn to regret my words when the RED Soldier and BLU Spy got in a fight over the air conditioning, leading our group into an all-out brawl. The limousine's capacity was eight passengers in the back, so we were full to the rim...imagine how that went.

"Hey! Take a look out the window!" I felt myself smack against the car door, yelping in surprise as my eyes flew to the body pressed against my own. The BLU Pyro had his face plastered against the window, his bottomless pits for eyes staring at the grocery store that was about half the size of our base. I could hear the Sniper laughing two seats down from me, my face heating up in embarrassment as I begged my mumbling friend to get off me.

I could feel my stomach bubbling as Miss Pauling expertly parked the car, turning off the child safety locks to release the electrified mercenaries around me. Without another thought, I opened the door.

"Thank God…" I muttered, stumbling out of the limo hastily. I couldn't stand being in that...that _torture chamber_ any longer. I threw my arms into the air, stretching out my muscles after that wild, one hour car ride. Turning around, I jogged over to the side of the car in anticipation for someone to come bursting out. Surely enough, I saw the Soldier come barreling out of the door like a madman.

Almost immediately, Soldier spotted an Indian woman wearing a sari, "GOOD GOD! AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HAS CROSSED THE BORDER, AND NOW SHE IS HERE TO TAKE OUR JOBS-" The BLU Medic smacked his hand against the racist mouth of the RED Soldier, cursing at him and telling him to quiet down. I smacked my hand against my forehead as the American listened to the German with much interest, making noises of realization as the Medic explained to him who the woman was.

"Miss Pauling!" My gaze flickered over to our Scout, who was kindly holding the driver side door open for the assistant. Miss Pauling thanked him with a smile before focusing her attention on the mercenaries around her. I felt sort of bad for the young adult as he tried to get Miss Pauling to pay attention to him, but he was failing miserably. With a small pout, the Scout came to my side, receiving a sympathetic pat from me.

"Ok...Everyone remembers what to say if someone questions who we are, correct?"

"Uh, maybe?"

"We are members from a marching band in the military...remember now? Anyway, I wrote out several lists of things for us all, so this can be done in a quick and efficient way...I want everyone to pair up."

Immediately, everyone linked arms with who they wanted to be with. I watched as the RED Scout instantly reached out to Miss Pauling, tugging on her arm roughly which caused her to fall forwards.

_Smooth... _I thought. I felt someone link their arm with my own, and when I looked over, I was happy to find the BLU Pyro mumbling happily through his mask. In a matter of seconds, everyone had a partner.

"Hmm, how about we make it a game," Miss Pauling suggested, passing out slips of paper to our groups, "whoever completes their list first, and brings their food back to the limo wins a prize… How does that sound?"

The group froze.

Evil smirks spread across the faces of several of the men. Shivers ran down my spine…

"ALL OF YOU LITTLE PUSSIES ARE GOING DOWN! I WILL DOMINATE YOU ALL WITH THE POWER OF AMERICA!" Demoman nudged the Soldier, "and Scotland…"

"Please don't destroy anything!" Miss Pauling cried out as most of the men lunged forward in an attempt to gain a head start. Even the Medic was stumbling after his partner, the RED Heavy, who was laughing like a child. The bystanders in the parking lot turned towards the rowdy and disorderly group, jumping out-of-the-way in order to dodge their large bodies.

Looking over at the Pyro, he shrugged his shoulders before grabbing my hand with his, pulling me along the long rows of cars. My gaze flew over to the Scout, watching as his body lunged forward. I could tell he wanted to sprint after the men, but the young adult realized he couldn't just leave Miss Pauling in the dust, so he would have to stick by her side and listen to her instructions.

"Good luck, love…" I jumped as Mundy's warm breath fanned against my ear. I turned around slightly, wincing when Pyro's tight grip refused to loosen. The Australian was paired up with the BLU Spy, which I found a little unnerving, but I soon brushed it off. Maybe if this happened before the robots, the Spy would have hung off the Sniper like a possessive animal, but now… she seemed to keep her distance.

I knew the two were forced to pair up with each other since everyone else had already chosen their partner, but that still didn't make me feel any less jealous.

I looked into the man's eyes, surprised to find a competitive glare in them. The corner of his lip lifted into a smirk, revealing a new side of the man I loved to me… I felt as if I was learning new things about him everyday the more time I spent with him...It was kind of exciting.

I decided to build up my courage and give a wink at the tall Aussie. "Thanks, pumpkin!"

I ran forward, passing the Pyro to where I was now pulling _him_ along. I was sure the BLU mercenary jogging beside me could have roasted some marshmallows over me because of how red-faced I was.

_Oh my God…_ Never in a million years did I imagine myself doing something as abashing as that. I could hear the Sniper laugh loudly, saying something I couldn't hear to the Spy before crying out (most likely leaping out-of-the-way of a beeping car).

Entering inside of the store, I glance over at Pyro, feeling determined to beat a certain group. I honestly didn't care about coming in first… I just wanted to teach my "good friend" a little lesson.

"Ok, Pyro, what is our first item?"

"Mmmmph! Mmmmmph!"

"Uh, let me see the paper…" I grab the slip from the Pyro's gloved hands, glad to see that the list was short. "Grab a cart while I look this over…" I ordered, Pyro following my commands without any complaints. We needed to collect five, extra-large bags of flour…

Glancing up, I began walking forward, my fire-loving friend trailing behind me with excitement in his voice. I was expecting people to give us strange looks, but I suppose the Soldier and Demoman were doing a pretty good job at holding the attention of the store. The two men were unsure of what "Pounty" was (which is a brand of paper towels), and they were currently going over the possibilities of what it could be.

Although the RED Soldier and BLU Demoman were moving fast, I gasped in surprise as I watched a twitchy Scout and the assistant walk by with two of their five items already collected. I could tell Scout was annoyed with how slow they were moving, but he didn't want to leave Miss Pauling behind.

Pyro and I entered the second to last aisle, finding the shelves stocked fully, and begging to be relieved of the weight resting upon them. Heavy and Medic were in the walkway as well, stocking up on packages of sugar…

How in the hell are we going to fit _all_ of this stuff in the car?

I watched with surprise as the Heavy moved faster than I had ever seen him before. After loading their cart with packages of sugar, the Russian let out a battle cry before waving at us with much enthusiasm. In a matter of seconds, they were gone…

I briefly glanced at the list we had, hiding my victorious smirk when I realized that the next three objects we needed to find were near the back as well. Ushering the Pyro forward, I skipped several aisles and took a sharp turn to the right, apologizing profusely to an old woman when I bumped into her cart. The elderly woman just smiled, waving me off before heading toward the checkout lines. I jogged over to some bags of off-brand plates, grabbing the largest bag I saw.

"Holy-!" I cried out, asking Pyro for a little help. These plates were really heavy!

"Huddah huddah…" Pyro said, sounding as if he were scolding me.

"Sorry, but we don't have a lot of time!"

Glancing around the corner, I saw the Sniper and Spy laughing at the Soldier-Demoman pair for reasons unknown to me. I felt a strange twinge in my heart, but I brushed it off; too caught up in what I was doing now to focus on them.

With ease, the Pyro and I collected our next two items, colliding carts with the Heavy-Medic duo once before continuing on. We were so close to being done… all we needed were some loaves of bread, and then we would be home free!

"MOVE OUT OF MY WAY, LADIES!" I heard the Soldier bark out from behind us. They were heading to the checkout line!

"Right here!" I yelled out to the Pyro, turning sharply around the corner just to run into someone. Looking up, I was met with a smirking Sniper. He and the BLU Spy were done as well! "Goddamn it…" I muttered, shuffling around the two BLUs to grab what we needed. I didn't bother to check what kind of bread it was, sprinting back to Pyro so we could leave.

"HUDDAH!" I heard him cheer, high-fiving me before pushing the cart towards a manual checkout area. At first I didn't really care if we would win or not, but now that we are at the end and tied for the top spot, it was hard not to become competitive…

I quickly grabbed our first item, scanning it before passing it to Pyro. We finished our job quickly, having a little trouble with the plates, but efficiently executing our task. Everything was packed and ready to go, so all we needed to do was…

"Do we have any money?"

How could we leave the store without money to pay for our goods! Patting my pockets, I searched for some green pieces of paper frantically, frustrated when I couldn't find anything.

"Mmmmmph!"

"Not now, Pyro...We have to figure how we are going to pay for this stuff."

"Mmmph mmmph!"

"Maybe we could ask Miss Pauling? Aww shi-shoot! The other teams are pulling ahead!"

"MMMMPH."

Pyro grabbed my shoulder, flinging me around to face him. In his hand he was holding wads of cash..._many_ wads of cash. Taking it out of his hands, I inserted the bills, asking him where he got the money from. The pyromaniac jabbed his thumb towards Miss Pauling, mumbling out more nonsense before pushing our cart past everyone elses.

We passed Mundy along the way, making me want to stick my tongue out at him childishly, but I decided against it… I already felt weird enough from before…

"Let's go!" I shouted, unable to help myself. We were going to win! Pyro and I dodged several cars, seeing now that we were not too far from our destination.

"Schnell! Ve must go!" I glanced over my shoulder, trying to peek past my long blond hair to look at the pair closing in behind us. I was astonished at the sight of Medic riding on top of the cart while the Heavy pushed him and their stuff at an increasingly rapid pace. My eyes returned forward, crying out in surprise when I nearly crashed into Pyro; we were slowing down…

"Push!" I shouted, grabbing one side of the handlebar while the BLU Pyro grabbed the other side. My calves tingled in pain as we gave one, final effort to outrun an amazingly strong Heavy.

Eventually, we made it to the limo, cheering with happiness when we beat the Heavy-Medic pair. I haven't had so much fun in such a long time...and we won a prize, making things even better.

"Dummkopf! Vhy vere you slowing down?"

"Heavy is not a robot, doktor!"

His words made me think… I wonder what Gray Mann was up to…

For a moment, our victory seemed a little less sweet as I thought about how idiotic we seemed compared to the Mann brother who was preparing to take over our lives…

_No… I will not let him ruin me like before…_

"I knew it! His dirty, Communist tricks have fooled us… We are failures…" I watched as the Soldier and Demoman came right up behind the Spy and Mundy, muttering racist comments about how "the French have always been good at running away", and "the Germans are freaks". I shook my head sadly, wanting to hush him, but I knew my actions would in vain.

We all huddled up in a group, talking about how fun it was to get up and do something outside of the base. Miss Pauling and Scout finally made it back; the Scout crossing his arms upon his chest defiantly while the men abused him with harsh insults. I felt slightly bad for the kid, but was soon happy for him when Miss Pauling kissed him upon the cheek. His face was glowing red as he tried to play it cool, saying "the ladies always fall for me, one way or anotha…". With a small smile, Miss Pauling went on to express how much fun she had spending time with him.

After everyone had calmed down from the excitement, Miss Pauling collected the leftover change from our pockets, and we all packed our groceries into the compartment in the back of the car. We quickly ran out of room though, which forced us to place our stuff in the passenger area where we all would be sitting. As if it wasn't crowded enough…

* * *

The sun was high in the sky, beating down on us as we all tried to fit inside of the limo. After many attempts of arranging our goods, we have finally found an acceptable placement for our stuff. Many of the seats were occupied by several bags full of food though, so some of us were forced to share a seat with another person. I already had a feeling who I would probably get stuck sitting next to, but I felt a little sheepish at the thought of sitting in his lap. I was kind of hoping I would be by myself...

But of course,_ once again_, things just never seem to go my way as I am left with two choices: either I sit on Soldier and risk the chance of losing my hearing, or I go and sit with Mundy and endanger myself with the possibility of heart failure… It was a pretty obvious choice.

I sat on his legs, resting my elbows on my knees as I prayed to God that a police officer wouldn't pull us over. I felt a little unsafe, but Mundy reassured me that we wouldn't be seeing any sort of civilization for the next forty miles.

For the entire car ride, I tried my best to keep our contact to a minimum, but eventually my legs became tired from the position I had them in, so I was coerced by the threat of my legs giving out to relax and lean back slightly. I could hear him chuckle behind me, sending vibrations through my spine. I pulled off my sun hat, nervously running a hand through my blond hair before setting my hat to the side. My body went rigid when I felt him run his fingers through my hair, squeaking when he tugged lightly.

"Sorry...couldn't help myself." That was all he said before letting his hands fall onto his lap, respecting the warnings I gave to him before we left about touching me . This feeling… It was the same one I felt last night when he held me while I cried…

I leaned backwards, feeling my back collide with his chest as I relaxed into his form. Somehow, I didn't feel scared anymore...but right.

I dozed off into my thoughts, just enjoying his company as the low hum of voices that came from our arguing friends echoed in the background. For the next thirty minutes, I decided to enjoy the sweet feeling of his arms wrapped around me…

Because I may not be able to experience this ever again…

Because I loved him…

And because in thirty minutes, we would all be thrusted back into this little thing known as "reality"...

* * *

**A.N.: Not my best chapter, but considering its 4:00 in the morning...Nothing too important happened in this chapter. Just a little break from the story before we jump back into the heat of things! Thank you so much for reading, and please leave me a review on how this chapter made you feel! I also would like to apologize for the inappropriate cursing and racist comments... I'm just trying to keep them in character. I hope you all have a nice day! :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**A.N.: AH! Dwarfiarty has released another chapter on his story, "The Storm Rises"! You all should go check it out! This is his first TF2 story, and he is looking for some positive and constructive feedback from you all… What are you still doing here looking at this? Go read his first couple chapters and review! Then come back and read my story later. :3**

**Guest: I couldn't help myself! Just the thought of Medic riding in a shopping cart while yelling, "Schnell! Ve must go!" was too funny to pass up on. Thank you for reviewing! It means a lot to me! :D**

**GodzillaKom: I thought about putting Merasmus in, but that would contradict Miss Pauling's wishes for the mercenaries to try to not destroy anything; because the moment Merasmus would show up, Soldier would immediately bother the crap out of him which would then lead to destruction. Do you know what I mean? I plan on using your Merasmus idea in a future one-shot though! Thanks for reviewing...like always. :)**

**Dwarfiarty: Thank you so much! I couldn't resist letting them have their fun away from all the craziness back at the base…**

**Mari: I don't like making excuses, but I was honestly brain-dead at 4:00 AM (time I posted last chapter). My eyes were falling out of their sockets by the time I finished editing and writing the last part in. I apologize for not living (or should I say writing?) up to your expectations… Thanks for reviewing and I hope I can make up for it in future chapters! Plus, I saw your review for my one-shot… Medic x OC coming right up! Do you have any preferences? (fluffy, angst, humor, etc.)**

**Derpyguest: Are they fighting robots this chapter? I don't know...Maybe you should read and find out… :D**

**xXNiueXx: When I was writing the Soldier's dialogue, I felt so bad about what I was putting down! I was worried I would offend some of my readers, but I haven't received any hate-messages so far… Thank you so much for reviewing!**

**KG7X000: We are getting close to the end! Thank you very much for your compliment! :)**

**Abilexy: No! *revives Abilexy* You can't die yet! I haven't even finished the story! I understand how you feel about the BLU Spy, so you don't have to give me credit for trying...I don't believe my mistake can be undone. :( Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing! Even if you posted a single word, I would still be happy!**

**kainarisalzabaar: I put in a bit of Avery's past, so I could show the reader a little about her and her mother's relationship. I'm glad that you are enjoying my story, and I look forward to finishing it with everyone by my side! :D**

**PhysicAce: Thank you very much! I must apologize though...I am a little confused on what you mean by father/authority person Soldier. Hehe…Could you explain?**

**TheMysteriousWaffle: check PM. (because I don't have anymore room to type T.T)**

**TF2Girl: Thank you so much! :)**

**Gryph777: check PM.**

**Disclaimer: Team Fortress 2 is a game, and I don't own it, which is really lame…:D See what I did there?**

* * *

I was relieved to find that HQ was still in one piece when we returned.

My nightmare surfaced in my mind for a brief moment before returning to its slumber in the darkest parts of my brain… A foreboding feeling entered my body as I thought about how unaware we were of Gray Mann's location. For all we knew, he could be hiding behind the dumpsters that sat near the entrance to the loading dock...but I knew that wasn't true, of course.

Loud shouts called down at us from above, shaking me out of my thoughts as I began to wonder who got stuck with look-out duty while we were gone. I could see the BLU Scout waving frantically from one of the upper windows, trying to get our attention...or just Miss Pauling's… We beckoned him downstairs, hoping that the boy would understand through our screaming what we wanted. In a matter of seconds, he disappeared back inside of the window.

Turning my back to the building, I walked over to the line of mercenaries who were pulling groceries out of the limo, passing bags to one another in order to speed up the process. It was nice seeing everyone laughing with one another, talking enthusiastically about what their favorite part of our little game at the supermarket was… I even heard some of the men talk about how hilarious they thought my face looked when I passed by them at the checkout. They were all busy trying to recreate my look as I punched each one on the shoulder, causing their laughs to intensify.

As soon as everything was resting on the dining table, and all of the mercenaries were present, we bursted into conversation, exchanging information about what happened in the last three hours.

I talked with the RED Medic, listening to him as he explained how difficult it was to get our teammates to stop messing around, and focus on looking out for "anyzing suspicious". I noticed how he liked to fling his arms around as he spoke, emphasizing his point with each motion. It was quite humorous to watch...

Glancing around the room, I was stunned to see that even Mundy was conversing with our teammates, putting his two cents in on what he thought about the ride to town.

For several minutes, we all chatted about our experience at the supermarket, and discussed our plans for dinner. All seemed normal.

We eventually moved into the topic of Gray Mann…

I noticed how everyone appeared to emit a sort confidence, rubbing off on me as their grins filled their visages. Indestructibility looked to be possible in their eyes, but I knew there were several holes in their ideas… We weren't sure if the respawn was going to work outside of battle, and we didn't have MG here to tell us if it would or not. We tried to call him the other day, but all we received was the dial tone...

Before we could continue our exchange however, Miss Pauling announced that we should all assign ourselves posts, and decide who will take care of dinner. Almost immediately, the two Pyros dove through several grocery bags, mumbling to one another happily as they walked to the kitchen with their arms full of food. No one complained as the two disappeared from our sight; everyone here knew they were excellent cooks…

Miss Pauling assigned us all positions; two mercenaries on each side of the building in order to see in all directions. Since there were sixteen of us, eight would head upstairs while the other half would utilize their time by preparing their weapons, and dividing the ammo between classes. The plan was to switch every two hours.

It was decided that for the first two hours, I would be dividing ammunition with the BLU Sniper; accompanied by the Heavies, Spies, and Engineers. I was quite pleased with my first task because not only would I _not_ have to sit upstairs in the hot attic, but I would also receive more time to relax away from loud Soldiers and obnoxious Scouts.

All the mercs parted ways, grabbing a small snack from the table to hold them over while dinner was being prepared. I could see the BLU Spy snatch a package of chips from a pile before announcing that if anyone needed her, she would be in her room collecting her things… I spotted Mundy walking towards the guest hallway as well, most likely to retrieve his things as well. I was preparing to follow him, but then Miss Pauling stopped me before I could go. I needed to grab my kukri from inside one of the dresser drawers by my side of the bed...

"I went and grabbed this," The assistant said, pulling out two, extra-large bags of suckers, "as a prize for our winners." My mouth opened in shock as I remembered the gift Miss Pauling promised us. Many of the men gasped in amazement as she presented me a bag the size of my forearm, complaining about how unfair it was to give us something like that.

"Wait...So when ya told me dat we were going to da candy aisle because it was on da list, you were lyin'!" Our Scout turned to the woman, feeling outraged when she nodded her head slightly, "We could've won… We could've _won_!"

I watched as the boy pouted sadly, walking over to the sofa near the other side of the room to cool himself off. He crossed his arms and sat down, glaring at the rug underneath his feet. I laughed lightly at his mini temper tantrum while I opened the bag of suckers, passing out pieces to the men surrounding me. Thanks filled my ears as I repeated "you're welcome" many times over, nodding my head to Miss Pauling as she left to give the BLU Pyro his reward.

I ambled over to the RED Scout, watching as his face twisted into a scowl when I walked up to him, "Ya here to rub it in?"

"No, I just wanted to know if you would like a piece." I extended the three-quarters full bag to the boy, watching as his face lit up.

"Yeah." My smile widened into a grin as he grabbed a handful before unwrapping one, and shoving the treat into his mouth.

"You know… Miss Pauling doesn't enjoy it when guys act like a baby when they don't get what they want…" I said with a hinting tone. Thinking back to what happened before, the Scout practically blamed Miss Pauling for their failure to succeed in our game, which was (in a way) true. However, all she did was tell a little white lie… Scout shouldn't be so angry about something as trivial as that.

"I wasn't bein' a _baby_… I just felt like we could've done better if we didn't stop by da candy area to grab an extra thing." The Scout said, making a slurping noise as he sucked on his treat. I shook my head sadly at the clueless boy, watching as he stood from his chair. He announced he was heading upstairs to begin his job, stuffing the handful of suckers into his pockets.

Now the room was nearly empty as the mercenaries filed out in one-minute intervals. I could see the BLU Heavy waving me down towards the basement, the RED Spy following behind him. Holding up my finger, I motioned that I was going to head back to my room to grab something, promising I would be down later. With a thumbs-up, the Russian and Frenchman disappeared down the steps.

I walked toward mine and Mundy's room, which was located at the end of the hall. Gently, I rapped my fingers on the wooden door of our room, waiting for permission to enter because of what happened last time.

"Come in."

I slowly walked through the door, poking my head in first to survey the room before allowing my body in as well. Mundy was sitting hunched over on the bed, staring at something in his lap before quickly folding it up. He placed it by his side, moving his blue gaze in my direction.

I held up my bag of suckers. "Want one?"

He laughed as he remembered my victory. "Sure…"

He reached in, digging around the bag to find the flavor he was looking for. He swiftly pulled out a pineapple-flavored sucker, unwrapping it easily before setting it in his mouth. He turned to face me, preparing to express his thanks before he saw the disgusted look on my face.

"...Whot?"

"Pineapple is disgusting…"

He smiled, the white stick of the sucker poking out from between his lips. "Oi don't know whot your talkin' about; poineapple is amazin'."

"I can't believe they switched out black cherry for that stuff-"

"Black cherry? Oi've neva heard of it…"

"They replaced it with pineapple two years ago."

I sat down beside him, our arms pressing together as we sat closely together in a comfortable silence. We communicated through our quietude with our eyes, studying one another as we took our time in this fast-paced world. His dark blue eyes were clouded with worry as we discussed how scared we were of what would happen in the forthcoming battle. In my mind, all I could think about was how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him after this, but I was under the impression that he didn't understand what I meant. Moving my hand slightly, I laid it across his bare, left one, feeling him grasp it tightly as if it were his only lifeline. I intertwined our fingers, hoping that he now understood my desire.

"What were you looking at before I came in?" I asked curiously, breaking the silent connection we had.

"Oh...uh-this?" He pulled out a crumpled photo that was stained yellow around the white edges. I could tell that it was obviously an old picture from many years ago. He handed the photo to me, watching me intently as I gazed guiltily at the elderly couple. The old woman seemed to be in her late-fifties when this photo was taken, her once brown hair dyed a dull shade of gray. Her worn lips were pulled up in a smile as she wrapped her chubby arms around her spouse, whose face was decorated with many wrinkles. The corners of his lips were pulled up slightly as he attempted to make what looked like smile.

"...They look happy." I said, unable to bring myself to voice my true thoughts.

"Yeah, Oi took this photo three days before Oi left the Outback for America." I felt slightly angered by his words, but I didn't show it. I wanted him to scold me; to remind me of my mistake, but all he could say was_ that_? I handed the photograph back to him, unable to look at it no longer. Folding it gingerly, he tucked it in his back pocket, still grasping my hand tightly as he moved.

Our time was just about up, and we needed to head downstairs before our teammates would wonder…

"Oi had a present for ya...it's back at my van, though." He blurted out, loosening his grip to release my hand. With a steady breath, he took off his hat and ran his left hand through his puffed up hair to smooth it down neatly. After returning his hat, he trailed his eyes downward to his fingers, suddenly becoming interested in the plain, white stick that was once in his mouth, twisting it between his index finger and thumb.

"Present? What kind of present?" I asked, planning on surprising him later with my knowledge of his gift.

"Ah, it was nothin' really… Oi saw you eyeballin' it one day, and thought Oi might as well get for ya." He looked cute as he tried to think of the right words to say; it made me elated to know that I wasn't the only one who would get nervous… "It's just-uh at the time… you were-um... Oi don't know whot Oi'm bloody sayin'! Oi just wanted to get ya somethin' nice..!"

He seemed exasperated with himself as he stood from his seat, straightening out his shirt before tossing what was left of his sucker into the trash bin. His face was set in a scowl as I stood from my seat as well, stretching out my body while I grabbed my bag of candy from the floor. We stared at each other for a few moments before heading towards the door. Mundy reached the entrance first, holding it open for me as if he were a butler. I giggled loudly, feeling like a love-struck teenager as I curtseyed playfully back to the man.

But just as we were about to close the door, a loud scream echoed through the base. It sounded like it was coming from upstairs… Mundy and I looked at one another, astonished by the absolute horror that filled whoever's voice it was. We only had a few seconds because accompanying that scream was what sounded like an airplane flying overhead…

My last thoughts were of the Sniper yanking me to the ground, shielding my body with his own as a powerful explosion knocked me unconscious.

* * *

_Who does she think she is?_

_What makes her think that she knows what I want?_

_How dare she say those things...that stupid bitch!_

_Insane child…Possessed mutant…Retarded creature…_

_**Murderer...**_

_I'll show her. I'll show them all what I can do._

_So many years of pain and regret…_

_All because she refused to accept the truth; to accept me for who I am._

_She never loved me._

_Kyle was the perfect child; always getting good grades, never getting in trouble…_

_Why would she want anything to do with me when she already had her faultless son?_

_Is it because I decided that killing animals wasn't enough for me?_

_**Murderer…**_

_I'll run away. I'll pack my things and go. _

_Then she'll know about the mistakes she made…_

…

_I left my house, planning to return as soon as I saw my mother's despair. For days I slept in the city, eating away what little money I had until I was stuck digging through trash cans. _

_Why hasn't she come looking for me?_

_I resided in an alleyway, living near the local TV shop so I could listen for the alert. Days and nights would come and go, my body being pushed to the extreme. I knew that families couldn't report a missing child until one day after they had gone missing, so why wasn't I being searched for?_

_My questions were answered one day as I returned home from my begging post. I glanced over at the wall of televisions to see a picture of me eating ice cream at the state fair this year, wearing my favorite sun hat and a white blouse. Relief coarsed through my veins as I stared at my picture, but I soon came to a halt when I read the caption underneath my face:_

_Teenage girl wanted for murdering two men near Oakland Woods._

_I listened to the newscasters as they gave out a description of what I looked like and where I was last seen, mentioning something along the lines of:_

"_Yeah, Tammy Williams, the mother of Avery Williams, reported her last night…"_

_**Murderer…**_

* * *

Pain erupted through my spine as I tried to stand up. I didn't know how long I had been unconscious, but the Southern Wing of the HQ was blown to bits by a rocket...at least that's what I thought.

Inspecting my body, I noticed a large shard of glass was implanted several centimeters away from my spine, leaving me thankful to know that I wasn't paralyzed...If that blade was any closer to my vertebrae, I would've been dead.

I left the shard in its place, afraid that if I tried to yank it out, it would cause more damage. Searching the area, I didn't see any robots, nor did I hear any gunfire…

It was dead silent.

I hissed in pain as I turned sharply in my spot, searching for the Aussie who protected me from the blast. I couldn't find him anywhere...Was he ok?

Bending down on my knees, I pulled at wooden debris in a poor attempt to find the Sniper. Maybe if I had my kukri with me, I would have been able to chop away at some of this wood... I couldn't believe I forgot it on my way out of our room...

After several minutes of hurting myself and not achieving anything, I gave up on finding him, and decided that he probably went to go find some help.

What happened? Everything was so peaceful and happy, but in a matter of seconds, it was all torn down brutally without any evidence of remorse.

I hunched myself over, walking deliberately slow towards the part of the building that wasn't destroyed. I scanned the broken pieces of wood carefully as I passed by, watching for any sign of life or a body. However, the only thing I found was my sun hat, which was torn on edge along with my black ribbon. With a grunt, I picked it up, and placed it on my wild and matted hair.

Looking to my left, I gasped in surprised as I found a hole that was 20 meters in diameter where the floor caved into the basement. I wonder if they mercenaries in the lower levels were trapped...begging for someone to come and save them…

I walked onto the familiar tile flooring of part of the kitchen, scared to find that the Pyros were missing, yet blood stains were splattered against the cabinet doors. I turned away quickly, brushing off the trepidation in my mind.

No matter where I looked, the world all looked the same; dark, destroyed, and damaged.

The creeping feeling of loneliness began to take over… It felt weird saying that word...

Before I came here and met my family, I would have used the word _solitude _to express the glory of being alone.

But now, it was painful.

More painful than the day I realized my mother wasn't coming to save me.

* * *

**A.N.: Holy mother of pancakes! I have spent so many days beating myself up over the first couple pages of this chapter… It was horrible! Anyway, I have recently posted a one-shot that is Scout x OC (in a way), so I would REALLY appreciate it if you all could go check it out and leave me a review! :D I apologize for how late this chapter was, but next chapter is the long-awaited battle! Who will come out victorious? Find out next time!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A.N.: Guess what everyone! I lied… *dodges knives being thrown at me* I know I promised a battle scene, but when I typed this up, I was thinking "ehh, they can wait a little longer". This chapter was drawn-out more than usual anyway, so I hope you all won't kill me for it! It's just an informational chapter that will give important hints to the future…_very important hints._ Stuff is about to go down!**

**Also, lately I've received a lot of reviews, so I have decided to PM my reviewers so then it doesn't take up as much space, and the guest reviewers' replies will be down below. I also have a question that I would like to ask you all… When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done? My brother had his wisdom teeth pulled out the other day, and just before they pulled his teeth (he was given laughing gas) he asked me that question… It was _the_ most inspirational thing I've ever heard come out of his mouth...**

**The Timmynator: Ah! So many reviews! Thank you very very much! Cliffhangers are just wonderful, aren't they? Good thing that in five seconds you won't have to suffer through the terrible and horrifying clutches of suspense. :D**

**Thanks to: KingSuperPimp, Dwarfiarty, Marzerin, VillainIsLemony, GodzillaKom, PhysicAce, xXNiueXx, Tf2RedScout, and Gryph777! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Team Fortress 2.**

* * *

The bright, red flames of the monstrous fire danced beautifully, reaching out in my direction as if to invite me into its world of warmth. Smoke swirled elegantly from the tips of the flames, dispersing altogether as it floated into air. Perhaps if I were staring at a bonfire, I would have found it alluring and lovely…but I wasn't.

My brown eyes watered and stung, blinding me as I squeezed myself in between the splintered wall and the tall flames. I hissed in pain when the inferno brushed against my skin, forcing me to quicken my pace. The fumes of the fire invaded my respiratory system as I gasped for air, and my ears popped loudly with each snap of wood as the door to the men's bathroom turned into ash.

Pushing open the door to the women's bathroom, I sighed gratefully when oxygen filled my body, my lungs rejecting the suspension of carbon and other particles in the air as I hacked and coughed violently. I pulled myself towards the bathroom mirror, staring at my ashen face for a brief moment before turning around to inspect the large shard of glass buried deep in my back. Blood oozed from the cut, drenching my vest and tank top…

The sound of whimpering caught my ears as I stood up straight, pausing to listen for the noise to return. "Hello?" I called out, listening as the choking sound came to a halt.

"Sniper?" An unmistakable feminine voice asked suspiciously. I walked over to the bathroom stalls, watching as one of the doors slowly opened. The woman pointed her revolver at me, watching me carefully as I flinched backwards.

"Spy, it's me," I said. "What happened?"

The BLU Spy lowered her weapon slowly, apologizing for her misconception, but keeping her gun at the ready just in case. Her dark curls were singed from the fire, and large bruises covered her fair arms…

"I waz preparing to head downstairs," She said coolly, the weakness that I saw moments ago disappearing altogether, "but I had to use ze restroom. I heard screaming and a high-pitched noise, and zen I waz blown off my feet by ze-What happened to you?!" Her gaze flew to my bloodied clothes, her eyes widening when I turned around to show her the large shard imbedded in my back. I could feel her place her hands against the swollen skin, pushing lightly while I cried out in pain.

"What are you doing?!" I asked, but she held up a finger. I waited impatiently for her to stop prodding at my wound, crying out with each poke.

"Ze wound is infected… We need to find ze Medic as soon as we can." I heard her say. "Zere are a few robots roaming around ze base; looking for survivors I do believe…" Her warning filled my body with terror as I thought about the possibility of the others being dragged away to their deaths…Mundy included.

The two of us decided to hang out in the bathroom for a minute, discussing what happened, and planning out a strategy if we were to encounter any robots during our search for teammates. We returned back to her story after the small interruption, and we both debated about what the explosion could have been… Most likely, Gray Mann had sent in a plane to deliver a small explosive to kill us without it destroying the Australium, but why would he threaten the likelihood of accidentally demolishing the reason he was here in the first place?

"We need to go." The Spy said after a moment of silence. Pulling out her butterfly knife, she tossed me her revolver, "If you try anyzing, I will not hezitate to kill you…" I nodded my head in agreement, repeating her words to let her know that I would do the same. If what she said about robots wandering around was true, then surely, robotic Spies would be disguising themselves as us. Also, I couldn't fire her gun to prove my honesty, or then the robots would be aware of our position… We were going to have to trust one another.

We walked side by side, peeking out of the door before exiting the bathroom. The flames near the men's restroom had spread into what was left of the dining area, consuming the sofa in the corner of the room along with several chairs. No robots were near; however, I could hear lots of banging and crashing from down the hall.

"We can't stay here for too long… Let's grab what we need and leave." The Spy and I set to work on scavenging the area for anything useful. I went inside of the kitchen, glancing inside bloody cupboards and drawers for any weapons we could use. As I searched the kitchen, a disturbing thought crossed my mind... where were the Pyros? Based on how..._mutilated_ the kitchen was, I thought they would have died on impact from the explosive...unless the robots collected their bodies. Shuddering at that thought, I looked outside through the gaping hole that I used to get inside HQ after the bomb's detonation. It was odd to think that earlier this afternoon, this horribly demolished area was once our temporary home…

I placed the Spy's pistol in my waistband where I could easily reach it if I ever needed to. I dug through the drawers of the kitchen, finding a chef's knife and a dirty bucket in a cabinet just below the drawer. I walked over to the sink and turned on the tap water, thanking the big man upstairs for keeping the waterline intact. I placed my lips upon the faucet, taking a small and much-needed drink of water before filling the bucket up with some as well... The robots weakness was water, right? Maybe I could use this on the Spy? She would be mad, though...

I stared at my reflection in the bucket full of water, cupping the liquid in my hands, and using it to clean the dirt and ash off my face. Wiping the water out of my eyes, I gasped in surprise when a pair of glowing blue eyes looked over my shoulder in the water's reflection.

"..!" I muffled my voice, and reached for the knife on the counter. Just as my fingertips grazed the handle, a baseball bat was smacked upon my shoulder, a hand pulling me away from my weapon, and throwing upon the ground. I cried out in pain as my back collided against the floor, the shard of glass digging deeper into my skin as I dodged a fatal blow to the skull from the robotic Scout. I kicked the machine away from me, watching as its body collided against the counter harshly. Rolling over, I yanked my handgun out, directing the barrel blindly toward the Scout as I prepared to fire, but before I could, he knocked it out of my hands. With no weapons on me, I flailed wildly as the mechanical version of my friend pounded fiercely on my stomach with his bat, pinning my arms down by my side with his shoes. I stared deep into the unemotional eyes of the robot as he raised his weapon high over my head, intending to strike it upon my skull.

_BOOM!_

The sound of a shotgun rang through my ears as I watched the headless body of the robot fall to the side. Turning my head, I saw the BLU Spy carrying a shotgun, reloading it smoothly before staring me in the eye. She saved my life...

"Soldier left zis in ze ozzer room." Was all she said, offering me her hand. I thanked her for protecting me, but she just waved me off, saying that she still owed me for what happened in the past anyway. We both headed back to the dining room, forgetting about the bucket and knife.

That Scout... He was different than all of the other robots. His attack pattern was more...strategic and thoughtful. I'm not sure what Mann was doing these past few days, but I doubted that he spent his time dawdling around.

I voiced my concerns to the Spy about Mann upgrading his machines, but she just brushed me off. Maybe I was overthinking things like usual...

My insides hurt like crap, and every step I took filled me with pain due to the wound on my back. The Spy motioned me forward with her hand, ducking down as we crawled pass three robots that heard our fight in the kitchen…

I was sure the two of us trusted one another now that we saw what happened with the Scout. We crept over to the entrance of the basement, waiting silently with bated breath for the robots to leave. Minutes later, we were alone once again…

The BLU Spy handed the shotgun over to me, whispering something that I couldn't hear before placing her ear against the ground.

I stared in confusion at the woman, "What are you doing-?"

"Shh…"

I waited impatiently for the Frenchwoman to tell me what she was up to while looking out for any wandering robots. We couldn't stay in one spot for too long…

"As I zought… Zey are downstairs." She said, digging at the wooden debris that guarded the entrance to the underground.

"Who?" I asked, already knowing the answer to my question.

"Ze ozzer mercenaries are trapped underground." I crawled toward the Spy, muffling my sounds of pain by biting the collar of my vest. Placing my ear against the ground, I sighed with relief when I heard coughing… I dove my hands into the pile of wood, and helped the BLU as much as I could. We weren't sure how many people were downstairs, but we still needed to help them. From what we knew, the only exit from the underground was the one that we were trying to uncover.

After minutes of digging, the Spy stopped. "Zis is getting us nowhere…" She said, ducking her head down when a mechanical Soldier ran by, "and we might as well be holding a sign zat says 'Hey, we're over 'ere!'..."

"But this is the only way to get downstairs!" I slapped my hands against my mouth fervently, waiting for someone to come and blow our heads off because of my loud voice. Spy and I stared at one another, searching our brains for a plan… Was there any way?

_Wait…_

"Come with me." I said, grabbing the Spy's wrist. I tugged her along, refusing to release my tight grip until we could make it outside. We stepped over the Scout's dead body, climbing through the hole in the kitchen toward what used to be our guest rooms.

"Where are we going?" The Spy pulled her wrist out of my hand, gasping at the sight of the demolished area. I could hear her muttering to herself, cursing in French as she glanced to where her room used to be.

"Over here…" I jogged toward the large hole I had found earlier, climbing down the dirt slope without a second thought. The room was dark, the only light source coming from the pale moon in the sky. I looked up at the BLU Spy waving her down, but by the way she was squinting her eyes, she probably couldn't see me.

The sounds of clanking metal reached our ears as I urged the Spy down. Robots were just passing by as the BLU fell into the hole, making rounds before returning back to their post. I reached out to touch the Spy's arm, but felt her shrug me off as her heels clicked further away from me.

"I zink I twisted my ankle…" I heard Spy say from the opposite side of the black room, "are we in ze basement?"

"Yeah. Try to find a door so we can get out of here." I said, running my fingers against the wall in an attempt to find a way out. Just as I began to think the door was covered by the dirt pile we used to climb down, the Spy called me over, thrusting open a door to allow illumination to filter in. The two of us entered, glad to see that the emergency lights were working…

"Where are we?" I asked.

"I don't know, but we shouldn't split up… I've seen enough 'orror moviez to know zat bad zings alwayz happen when people split up."

We made our way down the hall, pointing our guns down each corridor we passed by. We figured that the robots were given orders to clean out the upstairs first before taking care of the lower levels, but we couldn't take the chance of letting our guard down.

I turned my head slightly to glance at Spy, watching her curiously as she masked the pain she felt in her ankle easily. She seemed like an entirely different person as she confidently walked through the halls, reminding me of the first time I met her in the warehouse during my first mission. It felt refreshing to know that it was possible for us to work together…especially after what happened between us. Maybe if we had met outside of Team Fortress Industries, we could have been friends…

"I know zis place. We passed it on our way to ze meeting room." The BLU Spy said as we walked up to a T-shaped intersection. Limping toward one of the doors across the hall, the Spy pointed her shotgun in first before entering, waving me forward. I walked into the room, gritting my teeth as I pulled the door open. Loud voices were coming from the next room…

The room I was currently in was the same, small reception room my teammates and I entered after we defeated Gray Mann's robots to take back our friends. Everything looked the same as before, and I knew that the respawn room was just up ahead. I followed after the Spy.

"-per is missing… Does anyone know another way on how to get out of here?" Engineer asked.

"We do."

All eyes turned toward the Spy as she flashed them all a charming smile. I grinned happily at the sight of sixteen alive and healthy mercenaries. Everyone stood from their seats as the BLU Spy and I came forward.

"How did you guys survive the blast?" I questioned, wrapping one arm around the RED Scout's waist for a few seconds before pulling away to look at his bright, blue eyes.

"Thankfully, the respawn is up and runnin'."

That explained the missing bodies...everyone respawned downstairs.

* * *

The jovial reunion lasted for a few moments before everyone took notice of how banged up the Spy and I were. The Medics took care of the Spy's wounds without a problem before coming over to explain to me the repercussions of the injury on my back. After tearing a overreacting BLU Sniper off of me, the RED doctor led me into the reception room, asking for me to take off my vest and tank top so he could remove the shard before sealing the laceration. The RED Medic left me to my business, and returned back to the respawn room to collect his gear.

I slowly peeled off my vest, gasping in pain when the jacket caught the glass by the tip. Afterwards, I had to wait for the doctor to return… There was no way I would be able to get my tank top off by myself. I would need a knife to cut off part of my shirt, but I couldn't do that on my own.

"Avery! Are you ok? Oi-"

"Stay in ze respawn Snipah…"

I focused my attention on the RED Medic as he slammed the door in Mundy's face, turning back to me with a smile. I thanked the German for keeping the Sniper outside… I wasn't sure if I could handle him at the moment.

"Lay down on ze coffee table if you vould, please?" The Medic grabbed a scalpel from his bag.

"Where did you get the bag from?" I asked, squeezing my eyes shut when I felt him run the knife along my shirt. He didn't answer my question immediately, focusing on getting my tank top out of the way so he could get started on taking care of the glass.

"I found it inside one of ze cabinets on ze far vall… I must apologize in advance, Fräulein, for ve couldn't find anyzing zat vill help numb ze pain." He said, helping me lift the tank top over my head after separating the fabric from the shard. I folded my arms underneath my head, resting for a moment while the Medic dug through his bag. We were silent for a few moments, which I was quite thankful for since I could use the time to collect my thoughts.

Right at this moment, Gray Mann was upstairs searching for the Australium… Which the only person who knew the exact location of the substance was-

"Have you seen Miss Pauling, Medic?"

I could feel the doctor's hands freeze in mid-motion before continuing on. "Sadly...no."

Last time I saw Miss Pauling, she was in the kitchen with the Pyros. She could have been anywhere when the bomb hit our base…

"You were upstairs when the explosion went off, right? What was it that hit us?"

"A plane-I believe you Americans call it a 'Superfortress'-dropped a bomb onto ze base. I don't know vhere Mann got a military plane from, but he used it as a carrier for his explosives.

"Oh." I said lamely. Medic had a good point, though… Where did Gray Mann get a B-29 from?

The Medic set off to work on removing the glass from my back, mentioning how lucky he thought I was (due to the location of the fragment), and asking me about what happened while the Spy and I were upstairs. At one point during my explanation, the doctor nicked the swollen flesh around the glass bit imbedded in my skin, resulting in a loud howl on my part. Over the Medic's apologies and my quiet hissing, I could hear Mundy in the other room shouting something loudly. The doorknob to the respawn room was turning before a loud bang resounded throughout the two rooms… No one opened the door.

"Ok, I'm almost done-…Here," The Medic handed me my vest, "I recommend you bite on zat…"

I obeyed his orders, locking my jaw as I sunk my teeth in. The pain I felt was indescribable as I screamed into my shirt, feeling the skin around the piece of glass pulse as the fragment slid out with a couple of tugs. I slammed my forehead against the coffee table as the Medic dabbed my wound with some peroxide…

"HOLY SHIT!" My jaw slackened as the feeling of the Medigun's healing rays engulfed my body, replacing the burning I felt. The familiar sensation of skin and muscles attaching themselves overwhelmed my senses as sharp stabbing faded to dull throbbing… It was finally over.

"Zere ve go! You are free to go!" The Medic said in a cheerful tone as he retracted the rays and turned off his Medigun, "Now, be careful vith your vertebrae, Snipah… After vhat happened vith your ruptured stomach, you may still feel a slight sting."

I sat up from my position, sighing in relief when I no longer experienced the awkward feeling of glass shifting around in my spine. I pulled on my torn, crimson tank top and vest, thanking the Medic afterward as I stood from my spot. Collecting his stuff, the doctor grinned in a sort of frightening way, muttering something about having me donate my body after all this mess is over so he could experiment on it. After he saw my weird look, he laughed once again, claiming that he was just joking.

"Right…" With that note, the two of us head back into the respawn room, finding everyone gathering their things. The cruel realization that this would be our final effort to stop Gray Mann hit me like a speeding train… Would we come out victorious? Or would we fall to Mann's robots?

The mood of the room wasn't gloomy, nor was it electrified with excitement. A solemn feeling rushed through me as everyone took on a serious front, all knowing that failure was not an option.

I made my way over to Mundy, who was sitting quietly with his head down and his hat in his lap. I glanced into our cubby finding our rifles sitting together, and our ammo was divided evenly into their holders. I sat down next to the Sniper, watching him as he leaned his head back to look me in the eyes. So many emotions passed through us as I rested my head gently against his shoulder, sighing with contempt when he wrapped his arm around my waist to pull me closer. It was moments like these where I would wish time could freeze…but of course, nothing of the sort would happen.

I wished I could just toss everything away, and just make it all disappear like a handful of sand being thrown into the air on a windy day. I wished I could go back in time the day I was nearly kidnapped and murdered by three men, so I could prevent it from occurring, and stop the events that would one day throw me into this whirlwind of craziness. I wished I could run away from all of my problems like I used to…

But I couldn't.

In a way, I was thankful for all the things that had happened to me; no matter how terrifyingly horrible they were… because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have met Robert… I wouldn't have gotten the chance to meet the Scouts, or the Heavies, or the Pyros…

Or the Medics. Or the Engineers. Or the Spies.

Or the Demomen. Or the Soldiers. Or Miss Pauling.

Everyone stood from their seats as the two Soldiers led our group out the door of the respawn room. With the BLU Spy's help, the patriotic Americans guided us to the door just before the hole that would lead us up to the outside world. I grasped Mundy's hand tightly in my own, throwing my Springfield over my shoulder as I smiled brightly at him.

It was a fake smile.

The two Soldiers turned to us all as we awaited their motivational speech. For once, no one groaned or complained at the thought of having to wait another minute before we could head out to battle… We all silently stood by for a much-needed morale boost.

A wicked smile fell upon the RED Soldier's lips as he surveyed us all.

"Any complaints, ladies?" he asked before we charged through the door.

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**A.N.: I feel like I have let you all down… I need to wake up! *smacks self* We are _so_ close to the end, and I'm screwing things up by using ideas that I've already used before! I've got to end it here, folks, or then this chapter will go from 4,000 to 7,000 words (and we can't have that, can we?)**

**I would say "leave a review", but I'm afraid to hear the things I know that I screwed up on come out of your mouths. It has been four or five days already and I can't prolong this chapter any further… Anyway, I hope you all have a nice day! :D And try not to shoot my heart out if you leave a review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A.N.: My darlings…you all have no idea how much your support means to me. Because of that, I present you this next chapter earlier than planned! :D**

**Special thanks to: xXNiueXx, Dwarfiarty, Derpyguest, Navi2413, Typ, NekoChaaan, GodzillaKom, Marzerin, thegoddessofstationery, The Timmynator!**

**Disclaimer: TF2 Watashi wa shoyu shite imasen. (I hope you're happy PleaseCheddar)**

* * *

_"Daddy… Where do dead people go after they die?"_

_"Where is this coming from all of a sudden, Shorty?"_

_"The older kids at school said I was gonna go to 'Hell' after I died… Where is that?"_

_"Unfortunately, 'Hell' is where the devil lives-"_

_"-The devil?!"_

_"Yep, but you don't have to worry about him… He doesn't like good girls."_

_"Am I a good girl, Daddy?"_

_"Why, of course! The older kids at school haven't had the chance to get to know you, so they just assumed you were a bad girl."_

_"How do I show them that I can be a good girl?"_

_"Just be yourself… Be truthful and honest; never be someone who you're not."_

_"Ok…So where do good girls go after they die?"_

_"Many people believe that when someone passes on only the body dies. It is just as if a glass bottle full of water broke, and the bottle became useless. The container is gone, but what's inside -the water- remains. The part of a person that's left after the body dies is called the 'soul.' Some people believe the 'soul' is the part of a human that loves, feels, and creates; it's the part that make us who we are."_

_"I don't get it…"_

_"Well, just think of it as your 'soul' stays behind to watch over the ones you love."_

_"If I'm going to die someday, what should I do now?"_

_"My, you are just full of questions today, aren't you, Shorty?"_

_"I'm not short…"_

_"Ok, ok…but all that is left to do now is to live!"_

_"Live?"_

_"Yes, live your life to the fullest! There are many things about death we do not know and may never know. We do know that it will happen, someday, to all of us. All good things must come to an end, but sometimes, they are replaced with even better things."_

_"You're really smart."_

_"Thank you; however, I wish your mother would think the same…"_

_"I love you, Daddy."_

_"I love you, Avery."_

"Hey, are you ok?" I jumped out of my memories, apologizing to the RED Engineer when his worried face came into view. I reassured him I was just tired; it was eleven o'clock at night, and I haven't had anything to eat since the sucker before all the craziness began -well, I hardly considered a tiny sucker as food, so actually, I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.

I searched the horizon diligently for something..._anything_ to come up. The constant beeping of Engie's sentry filled our ears as we leaned against the side of the building, relaxing ourselves for now.

"Are ya sure you and the Spah saw robots?" I heard the Engineer ask from his spot beside me. We'd been sitting here for thirty minutes now, waiting for the machines to make an appearance, but so far, it's just been us, the sand, and incessant time.

"Yeah, I was nearly beaten to a pulp by a Scout!" This all didn't make any sense… Where were they?!

"Ya don't have to get all moody, darlin', I was just askin' a question. It's just weird how they would disappear without a trace…" He said, picking up a handful of sand, and slowly letting the pieces fall to the ground. I wished we were positioned at the front of the building where there were palm trees and grass and light… I was tired of sand. After all of this is over, I'm going to vacation up North...maybe in Ohio...

"Sorry… I'm just ready to get this done and over with." I said, running my fingers through the sands absent-mindedly.

Engineer patted my shoulder. "Don't we all?"

We sat for what felt like forever, chatting about random things while keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Our conversations ranged from how we were feeling at the moment to Gray Mann's attacks to how out of touch we were with the outside world. World War III could have started for all we knew...

"I'll be right back." I stood from my spot, dusting the sand off my pants before heading inside the building to check on our teammates' progress with cleanup. While some of us kept watch, the others were tasked with putting out the fires (which the Pyros weren't happy about), and searching for Miss Pauling. Unfortunately, the last two people who saw the assistant were the Pyros, and from what we could make out of their mumbling, they said she left to go take care of something minutes before the explosion.

We all figured she would had been connected to the respawn, but when she never showed up, we all became worried. The theories were endless when it came to Miss Pauling's whereabouts; the worse being that her life was currently fading away, and the best being that she was hiding from the robots somewhere in Headquarters. No one dared to mention the word "dead", for it would just be too weird… Miss Pauling was too headstrong and passionate about her duties to give up on us, especially when we were so close to the end. Knowing her, there was no way she would go out without a fight.

Entering the main hallway, I was met with an anxious BLU Heavy and a displeased RED Spy. Heavy was pointing to a metal door just across the hall, frantically waving his arms around as he spoke with broken English. Although the Russian seemed genuinely upset about something, the Spy just shrugged his shoulders, tapping the ash off the end of his cigarette without a care.

"-noise won't stop!" The Heavy exclaimed, begging the Spy to follow him.

I approached the two and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Ze Heavy believes zere are ghosts roaming around in ze building…" The Spy said, irritation evident in his voice.

"Heavy heard loud noises coming from large room," He pointed his finger at a metal door, "and would like it if leetle Sniper and Spy will go check noise out." I glanced over at the door, raising an eyebrow at his wish. Noises?

"It's probably nothing…" I reassured the large man.

_But what if it wasn't?_

The Heavy shook his head, insisting once more that we go look at it. I watched the Spy throw his cigarette to the ground, stomping on it before walking away.

"Please, Sniper?" I sighed deeply, following the Heavy over to the door. Grabbing "Sasha" along the way, the Russian placed his hand on the door knob, and pressed his ear against the metal. With curiosity, I listened as well for any noise.

Seconds passed…

Nothing.

"Heavy, there is nothing in there, ok?" I said, preparing to walk away and head toward the kitchen. I decided to go grab something to eat before heading back out to Engie…

But then he opened the door.

A bright blue glow illuminated the hallway as the Heavy stepped inside, pointing his gun in all directions. I stepped in as well, staring at the machine sitting in the center of the room.

It was a teleporter exit.

The Heavy discharged his gun, but he was too late, for robotic Soldiers were coming in, firing their rocket launchers at us.

I gasped in surprise when a rocket smacked the wall beside me, causing it to cave in, and blow me off my feet. I closed my eyes.

…

I wake up next to the Heavy, shuddering as my body went through the after effects of respawn. Immediately, I sprinted out of the room, pulling my kukri off my back as I ran toward the red teleporter. The overwhelming sensation of fear filled me when I thought about how quickly the robotic Soldiers were pouring out.

_No way…_

I had to get to everyone before it was too late.

I hopped onto the teleporter the RED Engineer built an hour ago for us, cursing in frustration when the spinning platform came to a stop. The exit must had been destroyed…

"Shit!" My weapon was outside with the Engineer, and if the teleporter exit was destroyed, then the robots were most likely outside as well. For now my blade would have to serve as my main weapon until I can reach my rifle…

I could hear the BLU Heavy's footfalls behind me as I climbed up the long set of stairs, taking two at a time. Halfway up the steps I drove my kukri through a Spy who was attempting to disguise itself as me, shoving its body out of the way without a second thought.

My heart was shuddering against my ribcage when I reached the entrance of the basement with Heavy right behind me. I climbed over the pile of debris that was partially covering the entryway, finding a flustered BLU Scout and two Soldiers surrounded by robotic Demomen.

"Duck!" I shouted to the three men, watching as the Heavy fired his minigun at the robots, but they weren't affected. The large Russian gave out a battle cry, our jaws dropping when only two of the eight Demomen fell down. In previous battles with the robots, the minigun could take down fifteen Scouts in a matter of seconds…

I brought my kukri down into the closest Demoman's shoulder, a satisfying "clank" resounding through my ears as the blade dug itself deep into the wires of the machine. Yanking my weapon out, I expected the Demoman to fall to the ground in a heap, but instead, the robot dropped his grenade launcher, laughing eerily with an amused tone . I watched with surprise when it wrapped its fingers around my throat, lifting me into the air as I let my weapon fall to the ground. Clawing at his wrists for leverage, I stared deeply into the glowing eye of the robot, swinging my legs wildly, but eventually having to stop when its fingers tightened around my throat. The corners of my vision began to darken as my movements slowly came to a halt. My lungs screamed for air, but I couldn't breathe. I closed my eyes in preparation for respawn…

My body collapsed onto the floor when I was dropped, coughing violently while I dry heaved, and opened my eyes to find my captor unmoving on the ground. Someone's arms were wrapped around me gently, lifting me off the ground before dragging my body toward an empty hallway. It took me a few seconds to remember how to use my legs as we ran, my gross motor skills failing me as my brain attempted to wake up.

I glanced up at my savior, seeing the determined green eyes of the RED Spy as he pulled me around the corner quickly. We watched as several robotic Pyros ran by, not bothering to check our hiding spot.

"What happened?" The Spy asked, placing his hands on my shoulders to keep me from collapsing.

"There's a teleporter...in _that_ room…" I wheezed out. The Spy nodded his head, releasing me from his hold to see if I could stand on my own before giving me his handgun. I was about to protest, but then the Frenchman cloaked himself, his dress shoes clicking as he jogged down the hall without another word.

My mind was fuzzy and everything was so confusing… Did the Spy just help me? He could have just left me to die if he wanted…the respawn _was_ working.

I followed after the Spy, checking how many bullets were left in his gun…Was this the same gun he used in the attic..?

_That's unimportant right now._ Shaking my head, I diverted my thoughts by focusing on what I needed to do. I was required to find a way on how to destroy the teleporter…but surely, Mann wasn't dumb. There were probably more teleporters located throughout the base that we hadn't discovered yet.

I headed out back, deciding to circle around the large building instead of mindlessly running around through the base while dodging robots and bullets.

My mind raced as I thought about outcomes of our fight and how things were going at moment. During my quick escape with the Spy, I saw our four teammates' bodies lying motionless on the ground along with the robots, leading me to believe that Mann had made some major improvements on his machines. Maybe if we had our special weapons the Engineers and Miss Pauling created for us, the battle wouldn't be as brutal as it had been so far…

I spotted the RED Scout with Engineer at our lookout spot, trying to protect the Texan just long enough for him to build his sentry. The boy seemed exhausted, and he was covered in wounds…

Searching the area from a distance, I found my rifle right where I left it -against the building and right next to the door- however, a swarm of robots were flooding through the entryway, charging after the duo with weapons held high.

Lifting my arm up, I aimed the Spy's gun at the robots, keeping both hands steady as I fired the weapon. I stalked forward toward the two, quickly reloading the revolver with my last few rounds. Asking the Scout to cover me, I run over to my rifle, shooting a robotic Medic in the chest twice as he tried to stab me with his bonesaw. I wasn't sure if I killed it or not, but when I heard the Engineer's sentry fire its rockets, I didn't worry about it.

I reached down to grab my rifle, but the moment I touched it, a female Sniper snatched it away. Lunging forward, I grabbed my weapon and dug my heel into her chest, but she refused to let go. The Sniper mimicked my movements, matching each of my kicks with identical ones. After several more tugs, the robot let go with one hand, and punched me in the face, blood spilling out of my nose as I released my hold.

_"They really do match us."_ I thought, watching as the Sniper lifted the scope to her eyes to fire at me. I jumped out of her sight, adrenaline coursing through my body when she narrowly missed my shoulder with her bullet. Charging forward, I shoved the Spy's handgun under the robot's chin, pulling the trigger and tucking the empty gun in my waistband afterward. I pried my rifle out of the robot's hands, feeling relieved when I had my weapon back in my possession once again.

I jogged over to the Engineer's dispenser, collecting what little ammo that was left over, and letting it heal my broken nose. For the next forty-five minutes, the Scout, Engineer, and I destroyed as many robots as we could until their numbers diminished to just a few, allowing us to move forward back into the base. To the left of the entrance, we found an idle teleporter, destroying it before anymore robots could enter.

"Finally!" The Scout sighed with relief, leaning against the wall to recollect himself, "So is it over?"

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Not even close."

* * *

The RED Engineer and I split up from the Scout, deciding that we should set up at the basement entrance. I wondered where Mundy was at, for I hadn't seen him since we all parted ways to go perform our duties. I knew that he was on lookout duty with the BLU Engineer on the opposite side of the building, so he was probably busy taking care of things over there.

Engie and I took care of the basement, fighting off the few stragglers that would come by every once in a while, but as time went on, things became more difficult. Robots began to filter into the room steadily, sending us back to respawn more times than we would have liked.

I could only imagine how tired the Engineer's arm must had been from constantly repairing his sentry all the time, but I could relate in a way. At one point, a flurry of Scout robots came pouring in through the main hallway. It was amazing to see how fast they could move… I had to reload so fast that I was sure my right arm was going to be sore by the time we were done...

We were eventually joined by the BLU Scout and RED Heavy; the two of them deciding that we needed more help with defending. Although their help was greatly appreciated, the rate of the robots pouring in increased, forcing us to fall back, and set up at the bottom of the staircase. It was a never-ending cycle of kill, die, respawn, kill, die, respawn…

As time passed, I was relieved to find that the BLU Sniper was ok when he joined our growing group of mercenaries. He told me he had a scary moment when a Heavy nearly crushed his head in with its hands, but he would be fine…

The two of us stood at the back of pack, taking care of business with serious attitudes. Every once in a while, I would hear him say "bloody pikers" or "ah, Oi'm sorry, mate…", leading me to crack a laugh or two. I knew that a situation like this was hardly appropriate for laughing, but after hours of fighting, I'd find anything funny…

* * *

The knife of a Spy was planted in between my shoulder blades, forcing me to fall on my knees as the world darkened around me. I awoke seconds later in the respawn, waiting for Mundy to show up as well, but when he didn't, I knew he took care of the Spy…

_I wonder what time it is... _It felt like day could break any minute due to how long we had battled the robots…

An explosion filled my ears as I exited the respawn, the BLU Scout following behind and myself both coming to a halt. I looked forward at our large group (who was scrambling after the robots down the stairs that would lead to the lower levels) before glancing back at him with dismay, seeing that he had heard the blast as well. His brown eyes carried a tone of fear as he nodded his head in the direction of the bomb, stealthily running forward with his scattergun in hand.

At first, we figured several Soldiers had separated from the pack, and found their way off to the side; but as we moved closer to the spectating room that overlooked the arena we fought in many days ago, we started to hear voices...and they weren't robotic.

"-you two are quite close, so I expect that you know what the code is." The unmistakable voice of Gray Mann threatened. I stole a glance at the BLU Scout, grabbing his shoulder before he could lunge forward after the bastard. I lifted a finger to my lips, and shook my head as he registered what I was saying. With a nod, the boy inched forward, and pressed his back against the wall, listening for my signal to take Mann out…

"Please, sir...just put 'er down, and I promise to tell ya everythin'..."

My eyes widened when I heard our Scout's supplicate voice. _Her?_

No, it couldn't be…

"I won't ask again boy…tell me or she goes!"

"I…"

"Scout, don't tell him anything!"

Then there was a gunshot.

Before I could stop the BLU Scout, the young adult was already out in the open, pointing his scattergun at Mann. "You moron!" I hissed out, stepping out as well due to our cover being blown. The RED Scout was standing against the wall on the opposite side of the room, his weapons lying on the ground by Gray Mann's feet. I began to wonder how I didn't notice his absence on the battlefield due to how aware I always was of his position… He was clenching his fists angrily, looking on at us with surprise before directing his fierce gaze toward the robotic Heavy who was holding Miss Pauling at gunpoint.

As much as I wanted to stick a bullet in the old man's forehead, I couldn't… I would be risking Miss Pauling's life, for I was sure the Heavy wouldn't hesitate to blow her brains all over the floor the second I killed Gray Mann… Briefly glancing around the room, I noticed that the glass that once separated the spectating room from the arena was decorating the floor...the explosion we heard must had been from someone destroying it...

"Let her go. It's three against two, and I doubt your scrawny ass can put up a good fight." I said, his smile unnerving me as I finished my sentence. The old man looked as though he hadn't slept in days, and his dark, beady eyes carried a psychotic look as he hesitated for a moment before reaching around his thin form.

He fished around in his back pocket for something. Swiftly, he pulled out what looked like a remote; the same remote he used to control our friends several days ago…

"I'm sure we can change that." He said, pushing several buttons. My confidence fell as I turned to face the BLU Scout, watching him as he tossed his weapon to the side to give me the upper-hand (for when he went under), and glanced over at me. We had been expected this, but it was still a surprise anyway... With a wicked grin, Mann pressed a large, red button on the bottom of the remote.

…

We waited for several seconds, grinning at one another when nothing happened. The BLU Scout ran to grab his weapon once more as I smirked in Mann's direction, watching him as he kept pressing his useless remote over and over.

Even Miss Pauling was smiling in her weak form, winking in my direction as I remembered what happened several days ago…

_We were at the bottom of a staircase that would lead to the upper floors. Loud cheering was heard upstairs before shifting into laughter. I've been smiling more often ever since I learned that my teammates were safe and alive, and this moment wasn't any different. Suddenly, noisy explosions rang through our ears, resulting in an airy laugh from Miss Pauling._

_"If you don't mind Miss Williams… Could you go find the Soldiers and tell them to come inside? I've got some business I need to take care of…"_

So_ that_ was what she was doing…

With a sneer, Mann tossed the remote to the side, allowing it to fall out the giant window, and down the steep cliff toward the trees.

"Only a slight inconvenience. Am I correct, Miss Pauling?"

The assistant looked up at us with tear-stained cheeks, quiet as a mouse when she looked away in shame. Her dirty, dark hair was angled around her face in a mass of tangles, and her skin was covered in scratches…it was obvious she was held captive; most likely tortured for information while she was in Gray Mann's possession.

Pulling my scope up, I aimed the barrel of my Springfield at the Heavy's forehead, watching as he wrapped his arm around Miss Pauling's neck, tugging her up by his face in a chokehold.

"Are you willing to risk her life, Miss Williams?" I heard Gray Mann cackle from the sidelines, amused with the spectacle he was given.

I scoffed. "I'm a professional sniper… Do you really think I'm going to miss?"

"Perhaps...you know the code, _woman_…" He said, ignoring my statement. With a snap of his fingers, the Heavy grabbed the assistant by the neck, holding her over the cliff with one hand.

"No!" The RED Scout jumped forward, reaching out to the woman, but froze mid-action when he thought about the consequences of getting too close. I couldn't kill the robot, or then Miss Pauling would be dropped...

I pointed my gun at Mann in frustration, yelling at him to release her immediately with half-hearted threats.

"We have wasted enough time already… You have fifteen seconds to tell me the code to the Australium's safe… well either that, or until she passes out."

"You bastard! We're not telling you anything!" I yelled out, shaking with rage as I narrowed my eyes through my scope.

"Oh really? Drop her."

"Wait!" But it was too late. I watched with a mortified expression as the robot released his grasp, allowing Miss Pauling to fall the one-hundred foot drop to her death. Almost instantly, the RED Scout ran toward the ledge, jumping out of the window to go after her! I knew he would respawn if he died...but what about Miss Pauling?

"You idiot!" With tears in my eyes, I fired my gun at Gray Mann, listening as his breath hitched in his throat. My bullet flew through his stomach, blood spraying in all directions as he cried out in pain. The robotic Heavy jogged over to him before lifting him into his arms to take the old man out of the building.

I didn't shoot at them. Mann couldn't survive-no…_wouldn't_ survive the fatal shot I delivered.

Blood was pouring out of his mouth as he coughed, "Turns out I didn't need a code."

And then he smirked, telling the Heavy to move on.

Ok…Now I was definitely going to kill this son of a bitch. I lifted my scope, and aligned the crosshairs, taking in shaky breaths as I aimed for the Heavy's head.

I fired.

And I missed.

Reload.

Fire.

I missed again.

They were gone. I collapsed on my knees in defeat, refusing to let my tears flow as I watched the two turn the corner that would lead them to the exit. I could feel the BLU Scout's hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged him off… Where was he during all of that?!

I guess it didn't matter though.

Miss Pauling was dead.

And not only that, but we lost…

* * *

**A.N.: Gotta end it here! It's four in the morning, and I can't take it anymore! :3 There was more action than detail this chapter, and guess what? I do believe that the next chapter is our finale! I hope you all enjoyed, and please leave a review! I hope you all have a nice day. :D  
**


	25. Author's Note (Kaleeco)

**8/8/14**

Hello,

I don't know where to start, so let's just go off from the basics:

My name is Kaleeco and I am Divergency's/Makenzie's best friend.

We both have written fanfiction together (under the name of "Kalucer" on other websites), and we both have known each other since second grade. Makenzie (or Divergency) has given me her permission to watch over her account while she is recovering, and she would like to apologize for her lack of updates and disappearance.

I have recently returned from vacation and visited her in the hospital, but she hasn't been feeling too great. Makenzie does not want me to disclose any information, and has asked me that I keep quiet until things have been straightened out. She promises to explain everything as soon as she gets back (which should be in about one to two weeks), and wishes that you all be patient.

Onto what you all want to know:

_Wherever We Go _is going to be put on hold. Makenzie was planning on creating a sequel, but now she is unsure due to recent events that have suddenly come up. She is currently helping me with my story, and wants to wait until she is in full health before continuing with her own story.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me on this account or on my account; however, I will be more active on my own, so I recommend PMing my account.

Sincerely,

Makenzie (Divergency) and Mckenzie (Kaleeco)

P.S. You may be wondering why Divergency didn't write this herself. To answer that question, she feels ashamed of how she has let everyone down (which I don't quite understand myself), and wanted me to do it for her. We hope that you all will understand.


End file.
